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The President of the Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association Pat Newman says its simple. Schools in the north need more money.
Pat Newman says while schools in the high Maori population area are receiving more funding per pupil it doesn't go anywhere near far enough to cover the massive needs in Te Tai Tokerau with 70 percent of schools unable to send teachers on a programme to help them deal with massive behavioural problems.
" Do we spend in a few years time $140,000 a year on putting someone in jail after they've hurt others or do we actually put in 10 or $20,000 a kid that needs it at this stage. To me theres no argument but is seems to be illogical to those with the keys to the purse strings" he says.
Pat Newman says with large numbers of 5 year olds turning up to school biting, hitting and throwing things, Northland is probably worse than other areas it is not the only area of the country where schools are under seige.
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