\u201cIt has caused lots of anxiety and frustration for my wh\u0101nau, and I am sure other parents from [school].<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have felt so disrespected by not being told what is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
They said they were \u201cpretty angry\u201d at the lack of transparency.<\/p>\n
Trust depended on authorities \u201cbeing upfront, telling the truth and not trying to hide behind silence\u201d, they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t trust this school much anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for the Teaching Council said the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal made the order to suspend the principal\u2019s practising certificate while an investigation was carried out.<\/p>\n
She said this was not indicative of the final outcome but because the matter was ongoing, she could not comment further.<\/p>\n
A wide range of suppression orders was also imposed by the tribunal, including the principal\u2019s name, the school and identifying details of any complainants.<\/p>\n
The spokeswoman said it was a \u201csensitive matter\u201d and urged consideration of the wellbeing of those involved. <\/p>\n
The Teaching Council would not confirm when the man\u2019s practising certificate was suspended, the nature of any complaint received or whether a hearing had been scheduled. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs this matter is ongoing, we are unable to comment on the individual case, including the circumstances or timeline, this is to ensure we uphold privacy and natural justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The current acting principal declined to comment when approached by the Herald this week.<\/p>\n
She said they had \u201cpeople working on that\u201d when asked about the principal\u2019s absence and why she could not comment.<\/p>\n
The presiding member of the school board also declined to comment when approached this week.<\/p>\n
A police spokesperson said there were no active investigations.<\/p>\n
A Ministry of Education spokesperson said they had not been briefed on the principal\u2019s absence, nor had they been asked to support the school.<\/p>\n
The principal has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n
Rachel Maher is an investigative reporter covering Auckland issues and education. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year. <\/p>\n