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David Benson-Pope Denies Tennis Ball Sadism
In an exchange during question time today Associate Minister of Education David Benson-Pope denied opposition allegations that he used tennis balls to discipline students during his time teaching at Bayfield High School.
Mr Benson-Pope, a former teacher and currently the Minister responsible for the compulsory school sector, was asked by ACT Leader Rodney Hide if would resign if allegations that he had thrown tennis balls at students and stuffed them in student's mouths to keep them quiet turned out to be correct.
Mr Benson-Pope denied the allegations absolutely and said he had never been subject to disciplinary proceedings as a teacher.
He further suggested that if the allegations were true then they should be taken to the New Zealand police as such conduct by a teacher would be illegal.
The exchange came up during a discussion of cyber-bullying.
ENDS
Alastair Thompson
Scoop Publisher
Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.
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