Ms Howard found herself at the centre of a social media backlash on Thursday after she made the comments about the student's survey on the closure of the Newcastle rail line.

The survey was posted on a number of rail-related Facebook pages this week, seeking responses for a school geography project.

But the student got more than he bargained for when keyboard warriors from both pro and anti-rail groups criticised his assignment, and questioned his political motivations.

Ms Howard was among them, commenting on a post calling the survey a "waste of time" and "such a disappointing effort from a young person".

She later backed away from those comments, apologising "unreservedly" to the student and saying she had misunderstood the context of the survey.

"If you read the post in its entirety there is a high degree of skepticism of the post and my comment was made in that context," she said.

"With the fullness of information that has now come to light I unreservedly apologise if I have upset the student."

Speaking to the Newcastle Herald on Thursday, Clay said he was willing to accept the apology, but said most of the comments about his assignment were "unnecessary".

"It's pretty funny because people are looking at it politically when they don't really need to," he said.

"I just sort of like chose it out of the blue, I had to pick something – I didn't know too much about it really."

Faced with a barrage of criticism aimed at his assignment from many rail line obsessives much older than him, Clay remained measured in his response.

"Everyone has their own opinion but you could say it was unnecessary, constructive criticism is fine but if you've got nothing nice to say it's probably better to keep it to yourself," he said.

But the furore has left the student's mother, Vanessa Barnard, furious at what she called the "pathetic" responses to the project.

"All of this nonsense over a school project he will throw in the bin at the end of the year," she said.

"Clay Barnard" has linked this survey for his geography project a few times on Save our Rail, but we haven't seen it...Posted by Newcastle For Change on  Wednesday, August 5, 2015

In its 11 questions, the survey's questions included "what do you think was the main factor that led to the rail line to be closed" and "do you think the closure of the rail line will have a positive or negative impact on the community of Newcastle".

That was enough to prompt people on both sides of the argument to accuse him of "weighted" questions and bias.

Ms Barnard said she was "disappointed" personally  that  the rail line had closed, but   her son was not pushing an agenda.

"People have accused him of having a vested interest in the closure of the rail line – he's just trying to get some marks for an assignment," she said.

Since posting her response, Ms Howard has copped a barrage of criticism on social media, including from NSW Greens state secretary and Lake Macquarie resident Jane Oakley who called her a "cyber bully".

Ms Howard strongly rejected that claim, and said Clay was being used for "political mileage".

"If we have the best interests of the young person at heart, I don't see how dragging it out on social media is helpful," she said.

Clay's assignment isn't due until next Thursday, but after getting more than 260 responses in the last few days, he's hopeful of a good mark.

"There's a bit on analysis, and reflection, I'll have plenty of stuff to go off for that," he said.

The results of the survey were "pretty much 50/50".

Newcastle Herald