Otaki Primary School has decided not to accept an invitation from Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws for morning tea to discuss his response to their letters challenging his stance on putting the letter 'h' in Wanganui.
Mr Laws told the students that he would take their views seriously when they started examining real issues like Maori child abuse and he invited them to morning tea to discuss the issue.
Principal Chris Derbidge says the school has decided does not want to travel to Wanganui for the meeting.
He says the issue would not have become such a big thing had Mr Laws responded to the letters in an appropriate way, explaining the reasons for his stance.
Earlier, Mr Laws said the schoolchildren who wrote to him about the spelling of the city's name were victims of a form of child abuse.
The children wrote their letters in Maori. Mr Laws had them translated.
He replied saying the children should sack their teacher and learn to control their anger.
Mr Laws told Morning Report on Friday that the "angry tones" used by the pupils about the issue suggested they were being used to promote the political agenda of adults, which he describes as a form of child abuse.
The mayor said he stands by his initial response and believes it was appropriate.
Letter 'disgraceful'
Wanganui iwi spokesperson Ken Mair says the letter is "disgraceful".
Mr Mair says it is ironic Mr Laws has banned gang patches in Wanganui, claiming they are intimidating, when the mayor himself is using aggressive and bullying tactics against young people.
