School told me to use house money for fees - mother

A Wairarapa college has outraged a solo mum by telling her she should pay "voluntary" fees owing for her son's education out of the future potential sale of her home.

Karen Bock said she paid about $2000 a year in compulsory fees but could not afford to pay the $1000-a-term donation at Masterton's state integrated Rathkeale College and was upset at the school's "aggressive" attitude toward the $13,000 sum said to be owed.

"I am a single mother and only have a certain income," she told the Dominion Post.

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

She said the battle started in April last year when she was contacted by the school's accountant and asked about the donation.

She told the accountant the money would not be paid and was then "harassed" for weeks.

Following a meeting with school owner Trinity Schools Trust Board, chairman John Greenwood sent Ms Bock a letter saying that as she had indicated she was not in a position to pay the donation, "a possible way forward...is that the school secures a mortgage charge against your property pending its sale on terms to be mutually agreed between you and Rathkeale College".

In return, the school would not charge interest on the outstanding amount as long as there was "an ongoing commitment to market the property for sale".

Ms Bock said she had no intention of agreeing to the proposal.

Principal William Kersten said the school acknowledged the payment was a donation, but said Ms Bock was "morally wrong" not to pay it.

By law, every New Zealand child has the right to a free education from age five to 19.

However, schools say they cannot survive on government funding alone and some, in more affluent areas, have to raise more than half their income from fees, international students and donations.

- NZPA