St Bede's College of Christchurch has punished students who made racist remarks about Maori and Pacific pupils on a social networking site last month.
The students made comments on Facebook about the age, brains and ethnicity of North Island school rugby teams after their top rugby side lost to Wesley College in Auckland.
The three worst offenders are not being awarded their honours pockets or have had them taken away. The awards, which are usually given for achievement and bringing honour to the school, are sewn on blazers.
The boys apologised to their own school's Polynesian and Maori pupils and wrote a letter of apology to Wesley College. Their names were also registered with the Human Rights Commission.
Rector Justin Boyle says the boys know any future employer will be able search online and find out what they have been up to.
He says courage and graciousness was shown at an assembly where one of the offenders said he would right the wrong.
