Marist College students hold Black Lives Matter protest after posters torn down

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

Students and parents show their support for the Black Lives Matter protest outside Auckland’s Marist College after posters supporting the movement at the school were ripped down.

Students and parents held a Black Lives Matter protest outside Auckland's Marist College after posters supporting the movement at the school were ripped down by senior staff.

About 30 people gathered outside the Catholic school, in Mt Albert, with signs calling on the school to show support.

It comes after teachers were criticised last week for taking down posters put up by Year 13 students.

One student claimed the move was indicative of the systematic racism students deal with.

Marist College pupils held signs calling on their school to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement after posters were torn down last week.

* Diocese to meet with Marist College after Black Lives Matter posters torn down

* Marist College students unite over school's Black Lives Matter response

Students held signs that read 'BLM, join us Marist'.

Tuesday's peaceful protest, which saw pupils wave signs saying 'Don't stay silent' and 'BLM, join us Marist', drew support from passing cars and schools buses.

Ketina Chivasa, and her 15-year-old daughter Tatenda Chivasa, who were amoung the group, said the time to stand up to racism was now.

“We are here to support the Marist girls who actually started this initiative to say that black lives matter,” Ketina Chivasa said.

Ketina Chivasa, and her Tatenda Chivasa, said now was the time to speak up about racism.

“Everybody matters but everyone will matter once we start realising that the black lives that are in danger matter.”

Ketina Chivasa said the protest stemmed from students' anger over posters supporting the movement being removed at the school.

The cause had become a “revival” for everyone to realise that racism exists and to see that it is here in New Zealand.

Tatenda Chivasa said she was “really, really disappointed” that the posters put up at the school were taken down.

“We hear so much about Marist family, we are all together, we support each other … This is my fifth year and it’s really disappointing that coming back to school, and only seeing them for three days or so, and then I hear they were ripped down.

“It’s really upsetting to hear and I didn’t expect it from my own principal.”

Marist College Principal Raechelle Taulu, has previously said the school was aware of pupils' concerns about racism and it stood with them in sharing the rejection of racist actions and views.

'We are working with our student leaders to help them share this message with our community, while also recognising that we are governed by policies and procedures. The school board and senior management take any claims of racism seriously and we are reviewing the issues raised with us.

'As always, the wellbeing of our students is our priority and this will be at the forefront of any decisions we make within the guidelines of our policies and Catholic education.'