Catlins Area School: Parents furious after principal’s husband’s sex offending revelations mishandled

Catlins Area School principal Glenys Hanley.

WARNING: This story may be distressing.

Owaka residents say the Catlins Area School should be more transparent with parents over revelations the principal’s husband is a convicted sex offender.

The community has been shaken after it emerged principal Glenys Hanley’s husband Simon Melville was convicted of a serious sexual assault in February 2007.

During the assault, he attempted to rape a tourist in a toilet cubicle while armed with a knife.

Simon Melville was jailed in 2007 for six years for attempted rape, sexual violation and assault with a weapon.

Residents were not saying much in the small Catlins town yesterday.

Many did not want to comment on the situation when approached, but those who did were not happy with the way the school had handled it, saying there was a lack of transparency.

One woman said the school was a crucial part of the small town and the situation had left her wondering whether she would send her children out of town to get an education instead.

Catlins Area School principal Glenys Hanley.

“I’ve got young kids myself and it has seriously made me question sending my children to learn there in future.

“At the end of the day, it’s not necessarily about the person [Mr Melville] himself — for all I know he could have changed — but it’s the way the board of trustees have not been completely transparent with parents that has me concerned.”

She said the way the board had responded to the claims was “sketchy”.

“It seriously calls the board of trustees’ judgment into play.

“What else could they be sweeping under the rug from parents of the school?”

Catlins Area School January 2023.

“It’s uncomfortable knowing people found out about the situation through an anonymous email or word of mouth, not from the board and the school itself.”

A parent of a former pupil at the school called on the board to address the issue and answer questions.

“The board needs to lay out exactly how they’re feeling and why they haven’t addressed this until recently, because plenty of people are asking questions and they are not answering.”

Board of trustees presiding member Simon Walker could not be reached for comment yesterday.

However, a person acting as an anonymous liaison for the board sent a statement last night acknowledging the Otago Daily Times’ questions and said the board “has nothing further to add”.