Rowing row: School hires McCullum's lawyer

Jordan Kennedy competes at the 2015 Maadi Cup on Lake Karapiro after a court injuction allowed him to row. Photo / Simon Baker

Christchurch school St Bede's says it has hired Brendon McCullum's lawyer and will support students and staff in the wake of the airport carousel ride and fiasco involving school rowers.

Two boys were banned from competing in the Maadi Cup - the national championships for school rowing - after riding the baggage carousel at Auckland Airport.

But the boys' fathers Shane Kennedy and Antony Bell went to court and were granted an urgent injunction to allow their sons to row in the cup.

The parents' actions sparked an uproar in mainstream and social media after the High Court at Christchurch granted the injunction.

Despite the legal action, 16 year-old Jordan Kennedy, 16, and Jack Bell, aged 17, were dumped from national trials set for next month, Fairfax reported.

The Christchurch school's board said it hired Chapman Tripp lawyer Garth Gallaway to deal with any legal matters.

Insurance and civil litigation specialist Mr Gallaway's clients included Black Caps captain McCullum.

A statement from the Christchurch school's board of trustees, released today, said it had enacted plans to ensure the rowers' "re-integration back into school life" even though the current school term finished in a few days.

"This included formally welcoming the rowers back this morning and this was done in the school chapel," the board said. "There are also support plans in place for all of the boys
and staff as required."

The school board said parents were briefed on these plans, and students "reminded of the need to support all of their peers" regardless of their own views.

The board said "continued media coverage and social media debate" was stressing out many boys, parents and other people associated with St Bede's community.

"The board can't nor would it try to control this social media but does ask media and others to be mindful of the impact on some of these students."

The board said its members and the school rector Justin Boyle would not be giving interviews to media.

Police and the Aviation Security Service (Avsec) gave the pair formal warnings after the prank, which happened shortly after they arrived from Christchurch on March 20.

Crew mates encouraged the boys to jump on the carousel. One boy filmed their antics.

The other boys were not punished.

The students were reportedly left unsupervised at the airport's domestic terminal when the coaches went to pick up a rental van.

It later emerged the row would be settled out of court, according to one boy's parents.