Part 4: Gloriavale School – Reactions to Announcement

Opinion piece: Liz Gregory.

(Thoughts, opinions and views expressed here belong to Liz Gregory and may or may not represent the views of the Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust, former or current members of Gloriavale.).

Part Four – Reactions from Leavers, Current Members, the Public

After a decisive announcement like a school closure, there will always be 1000’s of opinions swirling around. So I thought I’d collate some of them and leave them here for future generations to digest.

Reactions from Current Members

“Shock and resignation” was how one Gloriavale insider put it.

I’m not entirely sure where the shock bit has come from because the schooling issues have been piling up for a while. But another current member reminded me that when you live in a society like Gloriavale, you are always going from one crisis to another. In order to survive you have a whole lot of little cardboard boxes that you put things in, and you store them under the bed, never to bring them out again. And then you get surprised when they rear their heads again.

I guess the shock must be from those who are eternally optimistic that Gloriavale has so far weathered all the stormy persecutions that have come against it for 50 years. Gloriavale regularly reminds their people that “gates of hell will not prevail against them”  – (a biblical reference).

The “resigned” people are the more realistic members, who have accepted Gloriavale appears to be a sinking ship, but, as one person said, they just haven’t quite got the strength to hold onto the life line offered by the rescue boat, or as others have expressed, they believe that they have the repair kit and can give the ship a makeover.

Another reaction was anger at those who spoke up about the school (advocates and leavers). The general vibe is that anyone who leaves Gloriavale and speaks up just wants to “destroy my nice life.” But leavers regularly state that when you live in an environment like Gloriavale you don’t necessarily have a nice life. They were told the road to suffering was the road to heaven.

The angry people are allowing emotions to surface (that’s good) but they are misdirecting it. It’s easier to target the “people who blow the whistle” rather that the difficult job of objectively examining whether is is true or not. Was there some crises in the school that Gloriavale was unable to rectify? Yes indeed. Undoubtedly. Any ideas they could actually fix this were based on their limited view of the world and lack of real life experience. I am not trying to blame them for that either. As leavers often like to quote, “You don’t know what you don’t know“. The ones trying to fix the problem are also victims of the bigger systemic issues inside cultic groups.

Another common response inside Gloriavale was that this decision was discriminating against them because of their faith. But, no, the Government are just holding their school to the same standards it holds other schools too.

A chance for freedom?

But don’t under estimate that amongst the shock, resignation and anger that there are also people who are happy with this decision… even if they can’t safely express it yet. Inside groups like Gloriavale, for the average member sharing an opinion is not safe, because you feel you are are constantly being judged.

In some odd way, I suspect some current members have been waiting for the Government to make this decision in the hopes that it will free them from a little bit of entrapment.

Something that is not well understood by general society is that a feature of cultic groups is the way members have been made to be dependent on the group. Someone else does the thinking, and you do the obeying. And as one person stated, “that will surely get you a ticket to heaven.”

But this dependency creates a state of paralysis when the time finally comes where you need to sudden take responsibility for decision making. The fear floods you and without decades of decision-making experience under your belt, your intuition has not been honed. Your confidence vanishes (whereas up until that time you were the most confident person in the world), and panic can set in, creating a real cloud of confusion about the best way to move forwards. In this state, you are more susceptible to do what the masses do (ie. let’s see what options the leaders endorse re schooling).

Many Gloriavale leavers tell me that in these kind of situations, they always liked to have someone else make the decision, and then if things went bad they could always blame someone else. (That’s honest).

One father who has left Gloriavale with many children said,

“The parents that were irresponsible and let the community raise their children are not going to be allowed to do that out here. Their whole society is pushing parents to being dependent… they have been pushed around and are weak and malleable and dependent. In there you can blame the community. If they get on the outside they can’t think that everything will happen for them. They will need to be focused and looking after their kids.”

Closing down the school is conscience-free ticket for some families to make other arrangements – especially for those who didn’t want their children in the Gloriavale School.

To be able to have a change in your life, but feel like someone else has made the decision, allows you to do things that would ordinarily be frowned upon in the group. Eg home schooling was a definite no-no for a long time as it would break down the unity of the community. And yet here we are in 2025 where 40% of the school children are currently home schooled. (This change occurred during the 2022 teaching crisis, and home schooling was miraculously allowed as a temporary solution to solve an immediate problem. How wonderful to be able to guilt-free spend time more with your children!)

Well it wasn’t quite consequence-free. Some of those families who put their hands up faced a lot of backlash from other community members. But at least the leaders approved and they managed to keep their Christian status.

You see cults can morph and change. Things that were unacceptable 10 years ago, are now acceptable as long as the leaders give it their stamp of approval. They have been told the leaders are God’s anointed ones and they are the mouthpiece of God.

But we know there is also a lot of fear. They are feeling confused and concerned. What if home schooling and Te Kura are both off the table, and I have to send my children to outside schools?

The fear also relates to the long-held indoctrinated beliefs that state schools are the breeding ground for Satan, and that the world will seep into these untainted children. (Recent leavers have expressed these are still current beliefs that are taught and perpetuated inside Gloriavale).

That’s a real fear for those who have been isolated from reality and those who have lived in a spiritually abusive environment. And it’s extremely sad they have lived with so much fear.

The lack of solid plans for this new-looking educational provision, and the short time frame to pull it off is also creating some anxiety inside Gloriavale. And that’s fair enough. It’s late in the school year and apparently they will be deregistered by 23 January. That’s pretty quick. Can a suitable solution really be found in that time-frame? What might this solution look like?

Fear Fables and Paranoia

Fear is a well known tool used in cults. A leaver once called Gloriavale a “fear factory.”
Fear hijacks usual rational thinking processes and paranoia can start to set in. That can then lead to fear fables being perpetuated within the community.

One such fear fable had grown by the end of the school day into epic proportions without even one ounce or truth of reality to start with!! I received three calls/messages from leavers that day who wanted to let me know they had heard from inside Gloriavale that I had been approaching leavers to see if they would host the Gloriavale School children after the school had closed and the children had been uplifted!

I want to assure those fearful families in Gloriavale It is my very last desire to see families split apart. I want to see all families comes out as whole units. (I have not approached anyone with this request).

The leavers knew it was a fear fable, but they wanted to know if I was aware of any such plan by the Government. I can’t speak for the Government, but personally I highly doubt the Government has any action plan to remove the children! They’ve taken 50 years to show enough courage to call time on the Gloriavale school and I can’t imagine they’ve got any capacity or interest in uplifting children and rehoming them.

The paranoia levels are so high, and stories grow from small to big in a day in Gloriavale. It’s just another feature of a cultic group, where whisperings and gossip are the only interesting things happening … But hats off to the people inside Gloriavale who wanted to check to see if these fables were grounded in reality. That is a massive step forward. Some people have finally learnt, don’t believe what you hear without evidence and checking it out (the same applies to us).

Our message to those in Gloriavale

Our message would be that if you believe God has all this under his control, then this is the time to put your faith in Him (not in the leaders of Gloriavale). He does care about you and love you. But you need to pick up the responsibility given to you by God to be parents and to nurture and love them. Stop outsourcing your responsibilities to a group that have failed you in so many unimaginable ways.

There is no need to fear. Don’t be immobilised by fear and confusion. But there is a need to plan. Seek clarity from people who are wise (consider going outside of the community to find real wisdom) and apply that wisdom to learn how to make good choices for your children.

You are not optionless. The “world” is not a black and white place. Expand your minds to the possibility of grey, and colour.

You have more options than just what the leaders think is best. Their blessing is not a requirement for you – even though you have believed it was essential. That pressure has weighed heavily on many of you, but perhaps today is the day you need to step from fear to freedom. God will be with you. Perhaps consider singing, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Be Bold. Be Brave! There are limitless options – not least of these options is leaving Gloriavale and focusing on your children’s immediate needs.  Go and speak to your family members who have left and ask them what they have chosen for schooling and whether they are satisfied with their choices and why. While you are there ask them why they left Gloriavale and whether they regret it…

Just please don’t sit by repeating that the “world is against you: and you are being “forced to do something against your will”. Do something. Pray and do! Having faith is not sitting idly by on your hands waiting for a spectacular miracle to occur. Have you considered the miracle might be unfolding by the ordinary circumstances of life?

Is anyone inside Gloriavale happy about the school closure?

Of course! Are they shouting it from the rooftops? Ah, no. The freedom to do that hasn’t arrived at Gloriavale yet…

I think there will be some brave and adventurous children who might be secretly excited about going to another school.

And have we given a thought to the teachers? Perhaps some of them might find their way to teach in outside schools, and enjoy the benefits this would bring.

What about the teachers who were shoulder-tapped and never really wanted to be teachers, and aren’t particularly suited to teaching? Maybe they will be relieved to be relieved of their duties.

And I feel certain that when the fear disappears and people resign themselves to this change, that there will be many more happy people. In reflection, I expect people will look back on this day and recognise something monumental and important happened. They may even say (as one current member said to me) that God might be using the wicked systems of the world to bring about this good.

There are many benefits that will be afforded the children and adults due to the school closure.

No more school fees!

One current member said “At least we won’t have to pay any money for them to go to the Gloriavale school!”.

Yes, you heard that right. This school wasn’t actually free for them to attend!! A couple of years ago, after the employment court rulings, they realised they should technically be paying their teachers. At least the outside teacher and any principal they wanted to recruit needed paying. So on top of taking people’s lives and souls, they requested more money! Out of thin air!

Side issue explained – Money, Money, Money

The money-go-round is hard to explain.

So I’ll keep it simple. The Working for Families Tax money that went into mums’ bank accounts without their knowledge, or management, came under scrutiny during the Employment Court cases in 2023. Gloriavale sent everyone down to the back and gave them more access to their accounts. They could now log in and see the money, and instead of it automatically being transferred out to the Sharing Account, they would need to set up the payment to occur automatically (so that they were in control and made the decision voluntarily). But of course, there was always an expectation that if you wanted to keep living at the community consequence-free you will hand all your money over in accordance with the principles of the Sharing Life that you signed up to (or your parents or grandparents signed up to).

That money was needed for food, clothing, education, accommodation, etc. BUT the community had a problem. They needed to somehow pay school teachers and reduce liability on the Trust (who owns the school) , so they came up with a new idea and set up a newly registered school company. The board was supposed to be in charge of the school and they would invoice parents for school fees. Then that could get used for school running costs and then also to pay teachers (while the rest would get donated to the Sharing Account). Then the school money went through one more complicated loop – being funneled through the Christian Partnership which had a contract to supply labour to the school. Confused? Me to! As soon as I get my head around the financial structure, another change gets made.

Long story shot, they were charging each child up to $5200 a year to attend this school.

This was not a cheap school. (Integrated Christian Schools are only around $1200 – $1500 per year). If you had 4 kids at primary school imagine how much money you owed. Over $20K. People out here would be expecting a special kind of education for that investment.

Back on track…

Leavers’ Reactions to School Closure

Well there is an abundance of reactions mostly centreing around two themes. “Yay and yippee it’s the right decision” and should have been made a long time ago“. Followed by “I hope the Ministry has a suitable plan to support the people inside Gloriavale during this transition.“

The responses below come from a mixture of media and news interviews, along with private and social media dialogue from leavers:

Serena Pilgrim in Herald Article: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/womans-place-schooling-gloriavale-leaver-speaks-out-as-education-officials-consider-school-closure/

In a statement released after the school announcement, Serena called it “great news”.

“It’s incredibly sexist and in no way prepares girls or women for the real world. It’s a shame that it has taken this long for the school to close but it’s great news that it finally has,” she said.

However, she warned the focus must be on the children’s welfare and ensuring they are not being “deprogrammed” from external schooling.

“What will happen when the children go back to Gloriavale after being schooled externally? It is possible they will be closely supervised by the shepherds and their parents, to ensure the community’s worldview may continue to be reinforced. While this cannot be said with certainty, similar concerns have been raised in the past,” she said.

“I have experienced both sides and can speak on the differences in schooling; it’s a huge change. I hope all the children will be well supported throughout this process.”

Hopeful Disciple:  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/582240/former-gloriavale-teacher-applauds-courageous-move-to-cancel-school-s-registration

Hopeful Disciple, who left Gloriavale four years ago and was a former teacher, said cancelling the registration of a private school was fairly unprecedented.

“But there’s just been so much evidence,” he said. “That they’ve taken so long to act on that, it has been a bit frustratingly slow.”

Disciple said everything in the school was governed by or part of the community.

“Teachers are teaching their own children, their nieces, nephews [and] other teachers are also leaders in the community. It’s all interlocking, and so it sets up a really enmeshed situation, which it becomes impossible for the teachers to actually be professionals,” he said.

Theo Pratt and Elijah Overcomer on this TV One News clip: https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/12/20/what-will-happen-to-gloriavales-students-once-the-school-closes/

Quotes from many other leavers …

• “Congratulations, this is a great day for everyone. It’s been a long journey for you. You and others have worked so hard. We are so grateful to see our family and friends released from a school where we received abuse as children and then left because we didn’t want our children to go thru what we went thru. Its the beginning to an end hopefully of us one day being able to see our family again. The school was the first thing Hopeful set up and now seeing it crumble hopefully will help families see what foundation it was built on. I know families in there are already starting to make decisions. Xxx“

• “The school was the first thing Hopeful set up. 1971, I believe. The school like other GV system built on lies, deception, coercion. Very fitting it’s the first to go down.”

• “It’s a massive event and I’m excited about what good outcomes this will bring. At the same time I understand it’s tough for the parents currently in there as they have been told many lies and are still being told this is persecution for their “faith”. Wow! What next? Who gets to decide?? The people in GV have been led to believe that they still get to decide (or they have proposed some “options”) I understand.”

• “I hope this is the catalyst that is needed.”

• “As scary as the changes will be, freedom is contagious! I believe we will see some very big moves in the minds and behaviours of many GV members.”

• “It is going to be tough for everyone. Unfortunately exposure is the only way for normal behaviour to feel like normal. Decision making for parents won’t feel normal until they start doing it. So yes it will be really tough.”

• “Very pleased the school is closed. Very good and just. The experience that my last children had at that school was horrendous. And it’s not the same school I went to. For years it’s been neglected. Absolutely neglected. And the proof is the lack of qualified teachers. Teachers were ridiculed and put down. They have been pretending to the department they were interested in educating the children when they aren’t. The kids in the system are still being robbed now.“

• “I suppose the next step is what I feel the most concern and worry for. The children handling and adapting to the change. If their parents are full of so much fear, their kids are going to be being fed that fear and won’t be able to move forward to success. I can’t imagine the fear and worry that parents will be going thru right now. But if there was some way to let them know their kids are not going to burn in hell or be damned if they go to an outside school, that they will be okay and there is hope. But we all know how hard it is to break thru those mind blocks we have all been fed our whole lives.”

• “Maybe a strong suggestion {to the MOE] that if they are unsure to please get in contact with Leavers. And perhaps some thoughts around the school change not just being a location and curriculum change. But GV parents head space, belief and ideas are going to have to change and how are they going to assist and support, with the focus on the safety and wellbeing of the children.”

• “It’s interesting that it’s finally the Education Department that are drawing a line on the ideology. Quite unprecedented in regard to education I would think. I’m meaning they’ve identified the mental and psychological safety issues that arise in a group like this.”

• “The impression I got was that people were hoping the school closure would force them into their own homes but now that home schooling isn’t on the cards some are disappointed. The ideal in their minds is to have their own home without having to actually leave.”

• “We were taught a story at school about Christians in Moravia who were given the choice of staying peacefully in their village (conditions were that they allowed their children to be taught by the catholic priests) or they were driven out and most died crossing the alps. I can’t help but imagine that this story will be revisited.”

• “The main guilt for the kids will be from questioning the choices their parents make or from enjoying the exposure to the outside world. My heart aches for them and I hope the parents make it easier for them.”

• “I can definitely see the possibility of these GV kids developing a second “identity” trying to fit into two different worlds. Thankfully, younger kids adapt amazingly quickly. Their brains are going to change and the parents will have to keep up”

• “That is the hardest part. This issue again is the children learning to survive a situation that adults have created. Unfortunately unless parents are able to bridge the gap the children will adapt to survive it. That in why intergenerational trauma exists.“

• “The reason that GV people feel the closure is “unjust” is because, they have made an effort to comply (with the expectations that they can grasp), but unfortunately they are unable to take the bird’s eye view of the education they are providing and see it as unsafe or damaging. This is because it’s just an extension of the manipulating, mind-controlled environment that they have always existed in. Until they can step outside this bubble it won’t be apparent what the dangers are that leavers keep talking about.”

• A public comment on the Herald Facebook page: “We are a large family who left Gloriavale recently, initially we did not want our children to attend a public school as we had been filled with fear about how terrible they were, but we took the challenge and,,,, our children now love school!! They have had so many positive outcomes from attending a normal school and it has helped us as parents to integrate as well.”

Supporters’ and Advocates Reactions

There are loads of messages flooding in. Many advocates and supporters and have felt relieved that the options for children in the future will be more promising. I want to pass on to leavers that they are admired for their tenacity, their ability to put their necks up and hold their ground, and still come out the other side with a smile on their faces and an optimism that tomorrow will be a better day. Our team gets up in the morning excited to work with you to see what the day will bring. I am blessed to know you. God bless and Merry Christmas!

Public Reaction:

On Facebook we’ll always get the comments that needs to be “closely monitored” If they involve swearing, crude jokes, or are downright offensive according to our standards, they just get hidden.

Those aside, it would appear the vast majority of kiwis have been calling for the closure of the school for some time. But the minute they announced it there was immediate concern around “where are they going to go”? and “what about the poor kids. Won’t they struggle to adapt.” These are good questions to ask.

And that’s why for years leavers have been developing and sharing plans with relevant agencies for a long time around what might be an appropriate solution for rehoming 100 – 200 students. It was never going to be the easiest thing to do – but it’s not like this has been an unexpected surprise.

Many people in the public were concerned that Home schooling would be current members’ next choice – and they asked how that was any better. Well from what people have been telling us, home schooling had some really positive outcomes in the community.  The community didn’t want it initially, but they reluctantly allowed some families to home school as their staffing crisis got worse 2-3 years ago.

But it appears the home schooling days might also be about to come to an end…

Read Blog Post Five about whether Home Schooling is a Horror or a Hero inside Gloriavale