School slammed for holding 'slave auction'

  • 23/08/2017

An Auckland high school was looking for a fun way of making money for charity  but their method of choice has upset many.

Rutherford College organised a slave auction in which junior students bid on teachers and senior students to do chores for them for a day, with the money raised going towards the cancer society.

But some upset parents and community members have accused the school of being tone-deaf, with an estimated there are 800 people living in modern slavery in New Zealand right now.

One surprised parent, Lui, told Three’s The Project he did a double take when his daughter came home from school and told him about her day.

While Lui understands it's a common fundraiser at many schools, he says it's time for a name change.

"I think the term slave auction brought up a weird image in my head because from what I've seen on TV, what I've read in books, what I've seen on documentaries about there being actual slave auctions of actual people.

"I understand the concept of the fundraiser itself but how hard is it to change the name, really?"

Rutherford College has responded saying there has "never been a complaint from anyone" about the name, but they're open to changing it "if the school community thought it was time".

Newshub.