Kerre Woodham: Gifted kids have right to choose

I can't understand the fuss about player poaching in secondary schools. If a young man or woman is talented enough to be sought after by different schools, why are they not free to transfer?

Not all players would want to leave their homes and communities, but those who do should not have a restraint of trade put upon them. Young people should never be told to limit their horizons.

Some principals believe that having rules in place, preventing affluent schools from poaching kids from lower decile schools, creates a better competition.

Great for the competition, not so great for individual players.

Others say that young athletes should stay and make a contribution to their own communities - which sounds archaic. For all that Tuakau is a lovely town, I'm very glad that I wasn't made to stay in my birthplace for the rest of my natural life.

If a kid chooses to go from a Decile 1 South Auckland school to a private boys' boarding school, good luck to him. It might be the worst decision of his life or it might be life-changing for the better. Whatever.

Freedom of choice and living with the consequences of your decisions is one of the great features of living in a free world.

I don't see how it can be legally and morally right to prevent young people from making the decision they believe is best.