CROFTON DOWNS READING LOG FEUD ESCALATES TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES, PARENTS BRING LEVER-ARCH FOLDERS

A dispute over a Year 3 reading log at a Crofton Downs primary school has gone to the board of trustees. Two families have lodged written submissions. One brought a lever-arch folder with tabs.

The row began three weeks ago. A parent noticed another child's log listed "Guinness Book of Records 2019" as a completed chapter book. A second parent then queried whether "listening to the audiobook in the Hilux" counted as reading. The teacher, according to one mum at pickup, "went a bit pale and said she'd get back to us".

Fiona Ashworth-Beattie, whose daughter Poppy is in the affected class, said she was "not the one who raised it, but obviously supportive of clarity". "It's not about winning," she said, adjusting a tote from the Karori Farmers Market. "Poppy reads for 30 minutes. Actual minutes. On a timer."

A second parent, who asked to be identified only as "Mands from the class WhatsApp", said the group chat had split into two factions and a breakaway Signal thread. "Someone left a passive-aggressive voice note about phonics. My husband works at Treasury, we don't need this energy."

The board confirmed the matter was on Thursday's agenda under General Business, between the pool fence and a debate about switching the sausage sizzle from Hellers to a Wairarapa butcher. A trustee, on background, said they were "bloody hoping it resolves itself".

The teacher has started logging her own reading, for evidence. She is 40 minutes into a novel about a woman who moves to Greece.