Another head rolls at Cambridge High

By AINSLEY THOMSON AND STUART DYE

Troubled Cambridge High School was last night hit with a second top-level resignation.

The chairwoman of the board of trustees, Diana Grantham, quit after a meeting with Dennis Finn, one of the school's Government-appointed limited statutory managers.

Mrs Grantham, who was replaced by Graeme Dick, had come under increasing pressure to step down after claims that she had misled the public and school.

Her resignation follows that of controversial principal Alison Annan on Friday.

But last night on Holmes, Mrs Annan said she was seeking clarification of her employment status as she had signed no letters, had no date of resignation and did not know if her offer of resignation had been accepted by the school's board or the statutory managers.

"My solicitors today have written to the statutory managers and the board, requesting clarification of my employment situation at the moment because it is not clear," she said.

"It's all very, very unclear."

Mr Finn told the Herald that as far as he was aware Mrs Annan had resigned.

Yesterday retired district court judge Dame Augusta Wallace, who is heading an independent investigation into the school, said she warned Mrs Annan on Friday morning that she faced "adverse comment".

Soon after hearing this, Mrs Annan resigned and told staff.

"I saw a pattern emerging in the submissions," Dame Augusta said, "and in the spirit of fairness indicated to the board and to Mrs Annan that there would be adverse comment towards them."

The school also faces a damning Qualifications Authority report about NCEA procedure, and Education Minister Trevor Mallard has appointed two limited statutory managers to oversee the school.

In a show of support for Mrs Annan, hundreds of students yesterday marched through Cambridge.

More than 500 of the 1200 students at the school took part to protest against what they believe is the "disgusting treatment" of their former principal.

The devotion of many students to Mrs Annan was evident in their placards, with words such as "Strength" and "Integrity".

Deputy head boy Anthony Blackmoore, who led the march, insisted Mrs Annan had done nothing wrong. "She's taken us through a new educational system [NCEA] ... She did it with a 100 per cent pass rate. She did that following the rules. No matter what the media say, she did it following the rules."

The march passed through town then stopped at Mrs Annan's home.

Mrs Annan spoke to the Herald as she waited for the students to arrive.

"I'm really proud of them. I think they are absolutely wonderful," she said. "It was not just a job, it was always much more to me and I feel as though that whole part of my life has been taken away."

When the students arrived, they performed a haka and sang a verse of Lean on me. Mrs Annan told them they had warmed her heart enormously, and she was proud of them.

"This is what a school is. It's not buildings down the road, it's you. You are our school and you have done a magnificent job today."

The march did not have the support of Mr Finn and acting principal Jim Bennett.

Mr Finn said he learned about it only when he arrived yesterday morning and it was too late to stop it.

"It's regrettable that the march took place."

Head boy Oliver Searle, who was in Wellington for the Youth Parliament, wrote to Mr Bennett urging him to allow the march to takeplace.

The letter, which was distributed to reporters, said Mr Bennett would find it difficult to do his job if he stopped the march.

"I believe the consequences ... would be extremely dire. Without being given a chance to release their emotion, I believe the student body would become extremely agitated, disruptive, releasing their anger in an unguided, undirected manner."

At Parliament, Oliver Searle took issue with Cabinet minister Steve Maharey's defence of Cambridge High's treatment.

"If you watch the news tonight you will be able to see what the students think of what has happened at Cambridge High. There has been a lot of damage done."

But watching the march was a group of parents pleased to see the end of Mrs Annan's 12-year term.