Serial wagger turned high-flying lawyer says principal's warnings about truancy 'absurd'

A student at Hamilton's Fraser High secretly recorded principal Virginia Crawford giving a controversial speech at assembly on Thursday. Photo / File

A high-flying lawyer who says he used to wag school regularly has called a New Zealand principal's warnings about truancy absurd.

Warren McIntosh said there were often hidden reasons for a student's truancy and students should not be written off simply because of their attendance record.

He was responding to a speech by Virginia Crawford, principal of Hamilton secondary school Fraser College, who told students at a school assembly on Thursday that young people who wagged were more likely to go to prison, commit suicide or be raped.

McIntosh, an associate at London law firm Pinsent Masons, said he was a "serial truant" while a student at Westlake High School in the 1980s and was eventually asked to leave the school in the sixth form (Year 12) or be expelled.

"What was the truancy all about? Turns out I had depression and PTSD resulting from childhood sexual abuse, which I finally resolved through very extensive therapy a few years ago," he said.

"Ms Crawford would be better advised to explore why her students truant, and seek to address those causes, rather than heap further toxic shame on young people who may already be struggling with very difficult personal issues they are obviously ill-equipped to cope with alone."

"Bad behaviour is often not a cause of the future problems she mentions, but a symptom of the underlying issue which does in fact cause them.

McIntosh said if his school had recognised his mental health problems and he had received help at age 16 - rather than age 40 - his life would have been easier, happier, and possibly more productive.

After quitting Westlake, he immediately started full-time work, before travelling the world and then enrolling at university at age 22. He gained a law degree, and then a masters degree in history.

He worked at top law firm Chapman Tripp before moving to London, where has worked at international law firms ever since.

Crawford's speech was secretly recorded by a Fraser High student, who posted it online.

It has been reported that students will stage a protest this week by collectively wagging for one period.

Crawford did not respond to a request for comment, but Board of Trustees chairman Jeff Green said the school had received a "great deal of positive feedback" on her speech.

He said the board was very supportive of its principal "for being strong enough to have challenging conversations with our students".

"Everyone on the board of trustees, in the senior leadership team and on the staff at our school wants to equip each one of our students with the best possible education and tools for life.

"We consider that even if just one student reconsiders the path they are taking and takes steps in a more positive direction after this speech then that could have huge impact on their future lives and those of their family and friends and wider community."