August 16, 2013
Lessons from predator sentencing
A far north community organiser says parents need to listen to their children and not be swayed by authority.
The region is trying to repair the damage caused by paedophile James Parker, the former deputy principal of Pamapuria School.
Parker was yesterday sentenced to preventative detention for sex attacks on pupils dating back to 1999.
Pamapuria resident Ricky Houghton from He Korowai Trust says Parker preyed on an isolated community that has a high percentage of beneficiaries and solo parents on low incomes.
His offers of transport to sports and kapa haka, or take children for marae-style sleepovers, were welcomed by parents who failed to heed the warning signs.
"The parents, if your child comes home and says some inappropriate behaviour happened, they must act on it and not say 'don't be stupid, he's deputy principal, he would never do that.' You must listen to your children and act on it," Mr Houghton says.
He says the children need to know that what happened to them is not their fault.
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