St Kevin’s College principal Jo Walshe wants to limit media coverage while internal disciplinary processes at schools are under way, arguing this would ‘‘better protect students’ privacy and wellbeing’’.
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The restrictions would be intended to be similar to the protections that exist in the youth justice system, documents shared at a Waitaki District Council meeting this week show.
Recent media coverage of incidents at St Kevin’s and Waitaki Girls’ High School was highlighted as a reason behind the need for legislation.
The school leader wrote to Waitaki MP Miles Anderson sharing her ‘‘deep concern’’ about reporting causing ‘‘significant harm’’ to young people.
The principal further claimed the media reports undermined school processes and distorted public perception.
Ms Walshe urged the local MP to consider legislative changes which she said would better protect minors.
Mr Anderson told the Otago Daily Times he had raised the concerns with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, who is also responsible for the media and communications portfolio, ‘‘looking at ways that we may be able to help’’.
Mr Anderson said they were investigating whether something could be done without a law change, for example updated guidelines, due to the amount of time left of the electoral term, with elections in November.
In her ‘‘urgent submission’’ to Mr Anderson, Ms Walshe listed 12 key objections and said these ‘‘collectively demonstrate that current media practices are detrimental to the welfare of our young people’’.
A report prepared for the council’s strategy and advocacy committee meeting summarised Ms Walshe’s speech to the Youth Impact Working Group and letters to other schools about her work to submit a petition to Parliament, and stated: ‘‘In small communities such as Waitaki, students can be easily identifiable even when limited information is published.’’
Media articles were often shared widely online, which could expose both students subject to disciplinary processes and those affected by incidents to online bullying and harassment, the report said.
‘‘This exposure has the potential to exacerbate distress and negatively impact young people’s mental health and wellbeing.’’
Councillors were asked to consider whether to endorse the petition, ‘‘signalling that the issue reflects legitimate community concern regarding youth privacy, safety, and wellbeing’’.
The majority of elected representatives spoke in favour of the petition however concerns were also raised about ‘‘unintended consequences’’, and elected representatives were keen to draw a distinction between traditional and social media.
Cr Dan Lewis said it was ‘‘vitally important’’ to put in protections to ensure a due process.
Mayor Mel Tavendale, who spoke in favour of the petition and will be drafting a letter in support of it, said the petition was ‘‘not about not being able to discuss things in the media’’.
‘‘But it is just recognising the process around it.’’
She said the council should send a ‘‘clear message’’ that ‘‘we would love to, as a community, talk about how we talk about these things, how we put support around these things, rather than it being run online in a bit of witch-hunt style before the facts are out there’’.
Deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan said she echoed Mrs Tavendale and Cr Lewis’ comments but cautioned that there needed to be more discussions about whether restricting media could ‘‘unintentionally’’ shift more of the conversation to ‘‘unregulated and informal’’ spaces online.
‘‘I think that is probably one of the real dangers here,’’ she said.
Cr Jim Hopkins argued that there was ‘‘genuine public interest’’ and ‘‘legitimate issues’’ for the media to cover.
Cr Courtney Linwood said she supported the move but added that it was not the media writing the stories, but rather the commentary that followed the stories on social media which were the issue, arguing the community could ‘‘benefit from social media training’’.
Summing up, committee chairwoman Cr Mata’aga Hana Fanene-Taiti said it had been a ‘‘well-balanced discussion’’, including feedback on the importance of support from a social perspective, acknowledging psychological harm to young people, identification issues and the ‘‘unintended consequences if we come down too hard’’.
