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Leader's LetterSeptember 2003
Teen TruantsIn September 2002 six young people aged 12-17 years were convicted of the murder of pizza delivery man Michael Choy. All these young offenders had come to the attention of authorities at an early age. Only one was enrolled in and regularly attended school. Bailey Kurariki, at 12 the youngest of the offenders, had not been to school since he was 10. None of the five schools he was subsequently referred to would take him and he was eventually enrolled at Correspondence School. The case certainly reflects the difficulty for schools to deal with problem youth and the resulting imperfect and uncoordinated response from the system. I find it distressing that this case is not in isolation. In recent months the Chief Youth Court Judge has reported that up to 30 per cent of youth crimes are committed while the perpetrators are supposed to be in class. The issue is a hot one in the Rodney District where I am based and debate between two local high school principals and myself has featured in the Rodney Times. Rodney schools have some of the highest suspension and stand down rates in the country. My fear is that students who are expelled or excluded are falling through cracks in the education system, because they are not wanted by other schools. As illustrated by the example of Bailey Kurariki, the consequences of this trend are potentially disastrous for both the individual and the wider community. New Zealand First is continually calling on the Government to introduce a comprehensive package to deal with all aspects of non-attendance at school. We have teens roaming the streets in the middle of the day committing crimes because the Government has no system to keep track of truants. I also want to see more responsibility placed on parents to help get truants off the street and back to school. New Zealand First has always said that family must play a role in the education of our children and the Government must introduce measures which facilitate and support this role. If our young people are going to stay on track and leave school having gained qualifications, they need family encouragement and assistance from the education system to ensure they stick with it. The frightening youth statistics on crime, suicide and drug and alcohol abuse would have us believe that New Zealand’s young people are largely a disillusioned bunch. I know that education is the key to altering this grim picture. Education provides young people with purpose, direction and confidence. It equips them with the tools necessary to make healthy life choices. New Zealand First will not sit back and watch as our schools fight a losing battle against truancy. We understand that there is far too much at stake. We must get to teen truants before criminal offending commences and halt their descent into a life of crime. Craig McNair MP
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