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Boys expelled from top Auckland school for hazing incident

Initiation rituals like these can set a dangerous precedent.
Boys expelled for hazing incident at Auckland college.

Three students have been expelled from an Auckland school after assaulting a boy during a sports tournament.

It’s understood the alleged physical assault of the young team member took place as part of an initiation ritual.

By definition hazing is the practice of putting someone in physical or emotional distress as a way of initiating them into a group.

The incident, which involved the boy being burnt by an iron by older students, took place at a hotel where the team were staying, and stopped the boy from being able to compete for a day, NZME reports.

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Yesterday, the Ministry of Education confirmed three boys over the age of 16 had been expelled.

“We have been notified by the school that three students were expelled for physical assault,” said Ministry of Education spokesperson, Katrina Casey.

The school, which was not named in NZME’s report, also confirmed the students were expelled for their actions.

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A statement from the school’s board chair noted there would be no further action taken by the injured boy’s family, as the student was a friend of the three who were expelled.

“Our priority, first and foremost, is the wellbeing of our students and their families. The college sets high standards and strives to develop successful, well-grounded students.

“This incident is distressing and disappointing, but it is important to respect the privacy of the students involved. We will not be making any further comment.”

Although police say they haven’t been contacted in relation to this incident, a police spokeswoman says it always “encourages anyone who may have been the victim of a crime to speak to their local police.”

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