Editorial: There are disruptive 'little s***s' in the classroom, but we must ensure teachers are protected

PremiumEditorialEditorialNZ Herald3 Aug, 2026 05:00 PM3 mins to readAct candidate Paul Henry is not wrong when he says there are some "little s***s" in the classroom, but is dragging them out by their collar the answer? Photo / Sylvie Whinray Slippery-slope arguments are often not the soundest to make.However, concerns about the Act Party’s plan to allow school staff to legally use “reasonable force” to remove disruptive students should be listened to.

Act said the changes were needed to tackle classroom disruption, citing an Education Review Office report showing