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<h2><strong>Five-year-olds are ruling classrooms since ministry guidelines on restraint have been implemented, says Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association </strong><strong>President, </strong><strong>Pat Newman. </strong></h2>
<p>A teacher is not even allowed to lift a five-year-old up and carry them out when they throw things and in the middle of a tantrum now. Instead, we are supposed to leave them and remove all the other children!” says Pat Newman, President Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“A child can be utterly destroying a room, and all the other children’s work, and the same applies,” he continued. “Its cuckoo land!”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Newman released the following statement listing his thoughts on Ministry guidelines:</p>
<p>&#8211; last year we identified 1079 children (primary) at the top end of behavioural concerns due to unresolved trauma and abuse suffered</p>
<p>&#8211; where P is rife in some areas and in most schools to quite a degree</p>
<p>&#8211; where we can claim to have the highest suicide rate for our young compared to the rest of NZ</p>
<p>&#8211; where we have a huge number of very small schools in very isolated areas, in very low socioeconomic communities.</p>
<h3>and what help did we get?</h3>
<p>&#8211; Counsellors? No</p>
<p>&#8211; Mental health Facilities to cover needs? No</p>
<p>&#8211; Sufficient staffing to ensure the safety of staff and children from other children? No</p>
<p>&#8211; Access to absolutely required resources/resourcing? No</p>
<h3>BUT WE DID GET: <strong>Guidelines on restraint! </strong><strong>That&#8230;</strong></h3>
<p>&#8211; Made it far harder for us to ensure the safety of all children and staff. </p>
<p>&#8211; Given us little option but to stand down or (I still call it) expel in many cases.</p>
<p>&#8211; Handed over control of our schools to any child that wishes to push the boundaries and knows the rules.</p>
<p><strong>That was really helpful wasn’t it&#8230;</strong></p>
<p>In Wellington, last week, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Education to review these Guidelines. We can only hope and pray that those making the decisions actually apply common sense for once. </p>
<h2><strong>None of us want to use restraint and to be honest only do it when necessary.</strong></h2>
<h4 style="text-align: right;"><strong>Pat Newman<br />
</strong><strong>President<br />
</strong><strong>Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association</strong></h4>

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