"Why can't they go to their local school?"
The local schools are Clover Park Middle School and Tangaroa College.
Buses take children to Howick because of a perception that Howick schools are better.
Botany Downs Secondary College principal Mike Leach was formerly principal of Tangaroa College.
He says putting the streets in the Mission Heights zone would provide families with a closer alternative.
Clover Park Middle School principal Ann Milne says existing Flat Bush schools deserve more support from their communities.
"It is an ongoing disappointment that the busing of students, specifically by Howick Intermediate, from Otara, Manurewa, and even further afield, dislocates and distances our youth from their community and families," she says.
"This practice creates further problems for those young people when many of them, due to the expense or for a variety of other reasons, return later to our local schools."
She fully supports the proposed Mission Heights zone.
"I think it is vital that the Ministry of Education's zoning process ensures that Mission Heights development is not at the further expense of schools in the Otara community."
However, Mr Leach says the submission period was far too short to deal with the issues.
"I've spoken to a number of parents who've moved into the area to be in zone for our school," he says.
"This has been hugely disappointing for some of them, because they'll now have to go to the new school.
"There are about 320 families affected, and they need to be consulted."
The zone also overlaps Willowbank Primary's catchment.
"Half the school's children would go on to Mission Heights Junior College and the other half to Somerville Intermediate.
Principal Deidre Alderson suggests shifting the zone into Chapel Haven, leaving Willowbank clear.
Mission Heights Primary principal, Veena Vohra, agrees more time is needed for people to air their views.
She and junior college principal Joan Middlemiss have extended submissions until March 31. They are encouraging all those affected to speak up.
"We want to stress that this is just a proposed zone, and nothing is set in concrete," she says.
After the strong feelings made clear at last week's meeting, the pair formed a subcommittee to look into the situation, and Mrs Vohra says they will take suggestions very seriously.
She says the fact that children are travelling into Howick took her by surprise.
But she wants to allay fears that children who go to Howick schools would have to pull out because they are zoned for the new school.
"We would never make a child leave a school if they are already enrolled."