Probe today of sect’s schools
The Ministry of Education will today investigate two schools run by the Cooperite Christian sect.
The police have advised the ministry that two schools, one of which is a kindergarten, are operating without a licence at the Cust Christian Community’s Haupiri property in north Westland.
The information was given as part of a continuing police investigation into alleged sex abuse at Cooperite Christian communities at Cust and on the Coast. The leader of the sect, Neville Cooper, has been arrested on indecent assault charges, some involving teenagers.
The ministry’s Christchurch office manager, Mr Bede Cooper, and a liaison officer, Ms Pat Buckley, are due at the Haupiri property today.
The ministry’s South Island manager, Mr Michael Deaker, said yesterday the ministry had the power to close down an early childhood centre that did not meet legislative requirements. Closing a school was more difficult, but if parents continued to send their children to a school that was not registered, they would be breaking the law.
The sect operates a registered school at its Springbank property at Cust, North Canterbury. The school has not yet been audited by the Education Review Office, but a Christchurch spokesman said yesterday a report would be made soon.
Mr Deaker said the ministry had no reports of problems with the sect’s school at Cust, and had no reason to suspect there was anything amiss at Haupiri.
The police had advised the ministry of the situation as part of their investigation and the ministry’s interest in the schools was not related to the charges against Neville Cooper, Mr Deaker said.
Cooper, now known as Hopeful Christian, faces eight charges relating to indecencies on a woman, two girls, and two boys at the community between 1980 and 1984. He was granted bail after appearing in the Christchurch District Court on August 2 for a pre-depositions hearing.
Mr Deaker said standard ministry requirements meant any early childhood centre would have to show it had procedures in place for identifying and dealing with case’s of child abuse, and the ministry would check this as part of its investigation.
“They will have to satisfy the Government that they are providing a safe environment for children. But we’re not going there because we think that (child abuse) is going on,” Mr Deaker said.
The head of the police inquiry into the sect, Detective Chief Inspector Roger Carson, said yesterday the ministry’s involvement was part of a “multi-agency” approach to the inquiry that also included the Children and Young Persons Service.
The prosecution of Neville Cooper was a police matter, but because of the size of the community the police were dealing with, it was important to take other matters, including education, into account.
“If the education is not up to standard, they (the ministry) or we will take steps to improve things,” Mr Carson said.