Christchurch Boys' Lambasts WorkSafe Over Investigation Report & Ex-Teacher Campaign of Allegations
The NZR unpicks CBHS's response to its questions & the WorkSafe investigation report. CBHS full response included for paid subscribers and subscribers on a free trial.
Christchurch Boys’ High School board of trustees has expressed shock that WorkSafe officials has released their investigation report into the school, describing the government body’s actions as “irresponsible” and “damaging”.
You have asked us to reconcile our accounts with those of this small group of staff, many of who haven’t worked at the school for several years. Put simply we can’t. Sadly, over the past six years the Board and Headmaster Nic Hill have been subjected to a deeply personal and sustained campaign of allegations from a small group of disgruntled former staff.
CBHS Board of Trustees, 2 September 2024
“The fact that senior Worksafe officials signed off and commented on an incomplete and inaccurate draft report before its own investigation process was even finished, completely undermines their credibility.”
“We are shocked a government agency can behave in this way.”
The unredacted parts of the report paint a picture of an unsafe work environment for staff and included allegations of assault, a staff member acting inappropriately in the boys’ hostel, and the school giving a former teacher a final warning for approaching the school counsellor. Subsequent articles will cover these aspects of the report.
The school trustees were adamant “The matters raised in that report are the untested opinions of WorkSafe and not those of the school. Worksafe admits the report was not completed to a “finalised standard” and following a review of the investigation file, Worksafe decided the investigation did not uncover enough evidence to file charges under the Health and Safety Work Act, 2015.”
However WorkSafe was expecting the school “to provide WorkSafe with an update on its health and safety improvements in September 2024”.
The school trustees quashed any links between the investigation and recent reports of student misbehaviour regarding school hostel boys’ drinking and an incident involving a member of the public.
“With the support of the Board, Mr Hill has been at the forefront of reinforcing a positive and inclusive school culture and calling out unhealthy negative behaviours. The manner in which CBHS has responded to these events is a reflection of that commitment.”
WorkSafe’s Head of Inspectorate, Rob Pope, stood by the investigation report. He acknowledged that “Regretfully, the copy of the report is still containing a draft watermark, and there are some references which are incomplete”.
“Due to the internal deadline for the report to be finalised, it was unfortunately not completed to our finalised standard.”
“The report should however be considered as the final investigation report into Christchurch Boys’ High School.”
CBHS’s board refused to be comment on the report.
“Given its shortcomings we won’t be commenting on the detail of that report other than to note CBHS would have welcomed the opportunity to properly respond and put those allegations to the test.”
The report contains eleven areas highlighted in yellow. WorkSafe redacted all bar three. The highlighted parts shown below in bold and have been italicised.
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