Minister backs mother's stand on school donation

Rathkeale board chairman Andy Pottinger (L) and principal Willie Kersten are defending the college's position. Photo / Wairarapa Times-Age

Education Minister Anne Tolley has ordered an inquiry into Rathkeale College after it told a solo mother to mortgage her home so she could pay the school's "voluntary" fees.

On Tuesday, Karen Bock said the prestigious Masterton school was trying to bully her into paying the $1000-a-term donation.

Mrs Tolley would not comment on the case that day, but has now told Education Ministry officials to take up the matter with the school's board of trustees.

Mrs Tolley said it was "appalling" to suggest Ms Bock seek a loan on her house.

"That's not their business as to how she raises money. She has my support, she's absolutely correct. A donation is just that.

"In fairness, the school has acknowledged it has handled it badly. They are splashed across a national newspaper. The publicity this bad behaviour has generated is probably punishment enough."

Ms Bock was pleased Mrs Tolley had supported her stance and hoped that other schools would get the message.

She had considered enrolling her son in other schools in the area with lower fees, but they did not offer the subjects he wanted.

Rathkeale has said Ms Bock owes it $13,000 in unpaid voluntary fees.

She said she paid about $2000 a year in compulsory fees but could not afford to pay the additional voluntary donation and was upset at the school's "aggressive" attitude.

"The school's whole approach has been one of intimidation and aggression," she said.

The state integrated school, which gets about $567,000 in Government funding annually and collected more than $400,000 in voluntary fees last year, has acknowledged that the $1000-a-term payment is a donation, but says Ms Bock is "morally wrong".

Board of trustees Andy Pottinger and principal Willie Kersten have defended the college's position.

But Labour's education spokesman, Trevor Mallard, said Mrs Tolley should be hauling the college over the coals.

"Rathkeale College has crossed a line and the chair of the board of trustees and the principal should be summoned to Wellington and told to apologise to the parent in a very public manner," Mr Mallard said.

Rathkeale should be used as an example to other "elite" integrated schools that insisting on payment of voluntary donations was a breach of their integration agreement which placed their state funding at risk, said the MP, himself a former education minister.

"You can't stop a school asking for donations because no matter how much the education budget increases we all want more at the margin for our kids - but we must insist that it is a request, not a demand," Mr Mallard said.

Vaughan Darby, of the Association of Integrated Schools, would not comment on the Rathkeale case specifically, but said that in general terms donations were not enforceable.

- NZPA