Brash defends stance on 'illegal' school

Don Brash has shown "a complete lack of judgment" in endorsing an allegedly illegal school, says the Government.

But the National Party leader, who this week visited a group running a school without registered teachers or proper classrooms, is defending his actions.

Peter Caccioppoli and Dr Rhys Cullen are the managers of Te Kura o Kawepo in Papakura and are being prosecuted by the Ministry of Education after allegedly ignoring warnings to close it down.

The kura is run by the Kotahitanga Community Trust and caters for a small group of preschool, primary and secondary children.

The trust was last supported by Dr Brash when it was frustrated in its attempts to become a Primary Health Organisation.

Dr Brash on Monday supported its attempt to take on students who had run into trouble in state schools, telling the group: "I don't think I can overstate the importance of the work you are doing."

He told the Herald then that he did not condone illegal activities, but the trust's concerns were valid.

Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope said Dr Brash had failed to demonstrate any judgment, and had "given his clearest signal yet that National has no regard for quality standards in education, or even the law that protects parents and children from poor-quality education".

Dr Brash said he was standing by his commitment to excellence in education.

The system was clearly in crisis when "people see it failing their children and take extreme measures to correct it".