Settlement agreement breached: New Plymouth Boys’ High School reneges on apology to student it excluded from competition

29 August 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Settlement agreement breached: New Plymouth Boys’ High School reneges on apology to student it excluded from competition

New Plymouth Boys’ High School reneged on the apology they made to school student Oliver Jull for excluding him from the school’s 2024 speech competition finals. The Free Speech Union believes the school has breached the settlement agreement it entered into last week to resolve Jull’s Human Rights Commission complaint, says Jillaine Heather, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“Under that agreement, the school authorised publication of the following statement: “New Plymouth Boys’ High School acknowledges that Oliver Jull was excluded from the 2024 speech competition finals because of the content of his speech, and apologises for that and for the distress that it has caused.”

“Yet, in national media this week, Headmaster Sam Moore said, “the school stands by the decision it made” to exclude Oliver, claimed it “has not breached the Human Rights Act”, and framed its apology as being only for “distress”.

“In our view, that public comment is inconsistent with the acknowledgement and apology recorded in the settlement. The Julls asked the school to remedy this within 24 hours. Instead, New Plymouth Boys’ High School denied they breached the agreement and responded only after the deadline.

“We believe this conduct is a breach. They deny it. You be the judge. What is clear is that they’ve undermined their own apology, reneged on its settlement, and let Oliver down once again.

“The settlement also provided that the Free Speech Union would deliver training to the school on best practice for freedom of speech in an educational setting.

“The school's response and attitude set an egregious example to its students and other schools. Critical thinking skills aren’t manufactured out of nowhere, and schools must be places that foster discussion and debate, not suppress it. We will continue to hold New Plymouth Boys’ High School to account and support Oliver.”