22 Mar 2014

Excluded boy still not back at school

8:46 pm on 22 March 2014

The Ministry of Education says it is working closely with a west Auckland school to secure the educational future of an excluded boy with Asperger's syndrome.

Green Bay High School's decision to exclude the boy was overturned by the High Court last month but the school is appealing that ruling and has not yet accepted the boy back.

The 14-year-old was excluded from the school in July last year after a tussle with a teacher over a skateboard. The High Court ruled on 24 February this year that the school had not considered all the facts before it suspended, then excluded, him.

The Ministry of Education's head of sector enablement and support said the High Court has directed the school to work with the boy's parents to ensure he completes his education, and this must continue despite the appeal.

Katrina Casey said the ministry has offered the school support to enable the boy's return to school. Ministry officials will meet school representatives, the boy and his parents some time in the next 10 days to discuss his future.

In the meantime, she said, the boy is receiving tuition and doing work experience.