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A man planks on a street in Shenyang, China. A New Zealand school has been criticised for organising a planking competition for its students. Sun xiumin/AP

NZ parents condemn school-organised 'planking' competition

A school in Rotorua is organising the contest in a bid to teach children how to plank responsibly – to parental disgust.

A SECONDARY SCHOOL in the New Zealand city of Rotorua has denied suggestions that it is acting irresponsibly by organising a ‘planking’ competition.

The principal of Rotorua Intermediate School says the contest – featuring the controversial internet-led phenomenon – was intended to show children that they could engage in the bizarre offline meme without risking their safety.

‘Planking’ is a phenomenon where people lie vertically flat, face down, on top of outdoor furniture such as signposts or fences. It came to worldwide prominence when one Australian 20-year-old, trying to ‘plank’ on a seventh-floor balcony, fell and died from his injuries.

An “official” Planking page on Facebook had been ‘liked’ by around 140,000 people at the time of the Australian tragedy – but that number has now risen to over 334,000 as the habit gains further international attention.

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The dangers of the phenomenon have inspired the school to try and adopt it into a formal and safe setting – but has inspired ire among many parents who cannot understand why the school would actively promote the behaviour.

But Garry de Thierry, the school’s principal, has defended the initiative.

“It’s about showing [students] you can take part in a craze, but you can do it safely,” he told the New Zealand Herald. “We’re trying to teach kids they can still have fun without the risk.”

He added: “The kids are really enjoying it.”

Do you think the school-run planking contest is a good idea?


Poll Results:

Yes (144)
No (91)
I don't know (29)

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    Mute David Naylor
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    Jun 11th 2019, 1:01 PM

    Autoglass Windscreen Repair’s stock has risen significantly since..

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    Mute Chris Linehan
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    Jun 11th 2019, 4:16 PM

    @David Naylor: Ridiculously useless fact: over here they’re called Carglass. Same jingle and all.

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    Mute David Naylor
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    Jun 11th 2019, 5:22 PM

    @Chris Linehan: it’s a joke man

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    Mute Chris Linehan
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    Jun 11th 2019, 6:10 PM

    @David Naylor: Christ. My comment was as described and just a useless fact referencing the English in their Germany based branding and their German in their Ireland based branding. Now that you’ve gone and failed to recognise the lighthearted banter and then had to identify you’re comment as the obvious joke that it was, followed by me writing this comment, means between the two of us, we’ve now sucked all the craic out of this. Sound.

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    Mute William Tallon
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    Jun 11th 2019, 2:12 PM

    There’s no scientific evidence that this event has anything to do with global warming. Giant hailstones have been recorded throughout history when the climate was both warmer and colder than it is today. It’s nothing new. It’s weather. It neither proves nor disproves if global warming is happening. For example…

    ‘On July 12, 1984, a powerful hailstorm pummeled Munich. This ferocious hailstorm travelled at 60 to 70 km/h and left some 70,000 homes with roof damage; seriously dinged more than 200,000 automobiles and about 150 aircraft; and injured more than 400 people…’

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    Mute james boylan
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    Jun 11th 2019, 2:39 PM

    @William Tallon:
    This is true. One time I was in Bavaria about 30 years ago, the same thing had happened. I saw a good number of cars that had been badly damaged by hailstones.

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Jun 11th 2019, 5:14 PM

    @William Tallon: nobody is saying these kind of weather events didn’t happen before, it’s the frequency that’s a concern

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jun 11th 2019, 6:12 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: when did that happen in recent times apart from this occasion

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 11th 2019, 7:26 PM

    @FlopFlipU: in 1984

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    Mute james boylan
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    Jun 11th 2019, 8:44 PM

    @FlopFlipU:
    These events happen every year around the world.

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    Mute ed w
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    Jun 11th 2019, 2:05 PM

    you know that’s how the day after tomorrow starts

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    Mute Mike Phelan
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    Jun 11th 2019, 1:23 PM

    Zerbrochene Windschutzscheibe, Überflutungen und Chaos!
    - exactly as you might exclaim at the broken windscreen yourself!

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Jun 11th 2019, 1:31 PM

    Same happen golf ball size hailstones in Australia last Christmas as mine friend pictures send me , blame global warming

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 11th 2019, 7:26 PM

    @Brian Flavin: is this a telegram?

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    Mute The Mc
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    Jun 11th 2019, 1:38 PM

    The day after tomorrow. Global warming and no1 gives a dam..

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    Mute Marianne
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    Jun 11th 2019, 2:04 PM

    More like HELL.STONES..WAKE UP LEO CLIMATE CHANGE GETTING SERIOUS NOW

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    Mute brendan H
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    Jun 12th 2019, 3:28 AM

    @Marianne: Calm down its just weather. Its happened before lots of times in history.

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Jun 12th 2019, 2:36 AM

    Hello, Climate Change… Will August bring them lightening strikes and September hurricanes…

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