Teacher reprimanded over calling Chinese students 'idiots'

Teachers at Westlake Boys' High School have been reminded of the need to be fair and tolerance. File photo / Janna Dixon

A Westlake Boys High School teacher has been reprimanded after allegedly calling students "idiots with rich parents".

The teacher had been accused of telling students to go back to their own country.

There were also suggestions that European students had punched a Chinese boy and that video footage had been shared on Chinese social media platform: WeChat.

Headmaster David Ferguson told the Herald he was aware of the incident involving a member of his staff.

The school was also aware of the video.

"A disciplinary process is underway with regards to the incident in the video. Similarly, an occasion involving insensitive comments allegedly made by a staff member has also been dealt with and all staff have been reminded of their duties around fairness and tolerance.''

Ferguson said the school had high expectations of its students as well as staff and the goal was to provide a safe and inclusive environment at school that was based on respect for all cultures.

"This is particularly important as we are a diverse, multi-cultural school with students and staff from all over the world.

"The majority of our boys were born outside of New Zealand and we now have students from more than 50 different countries,'' he said.

"We are proud of this, celebrate it, learn from one another and see it as a really positive feature of our school.''