Alwyn Poole
Villa Education Trust
Innovative Education Consultant
Dear Office of the Ombudsman
I apologise for elevating this to your level but I believe we have run out of other avenues and do not have anything like the financial resources to legally challenge the Ministry of Education for their ongoing misrepresentation of our work and new school applications.
One of their senior officials last year – in front of 12 interested parties – even told us, “The Ministry is too big to be challenged or worried.”
Some aspects of behaviour by Ministry officials that have impacted on us and our ability to serve children and their families are listed below.
- There were 6 formal disputes loaded by VET against the Ministry of Education taken to mediation on November 9, 2016, with Davey Salmon as lead advocate (summary of disputes attached). None of these were resolved.
- The fact that – despite assurances from the Prime Minister and Minister of Education publicly given in 2018, of the pathway to new establishment of all of the Charter Schools – the Ministry directly stated to us in our first formal meeting (by Katrina Casey) that this would “not be easy for you (VET)”. The road was blocked so thoroughly that in the end the Minister appointed Cognition Education to do the analysis, and they produced such an outstanding report on our provision and organisation that the Minister had no hesitation in immediately authorising the new Designated Character Schools.
- In 2020 the VET applied for a new Designated Character School to begin in 2021. One official (and this is documented) even said, “No!”, before we submitted it. They produced a highly inaccurate report with the recommendation that the Minister not even put it forward to consultation (which one reading of the law seems to make mandatory). In response to this rejection a 1,000 signature petition was presented to the Petitions Committee in Parliament and has been progressed and presented to the Education and Workforce Committee. The HRC has also carried forward a complaint that went to mediation recently.
- In 2021 the Ministry has again completely butchered their report into a new application. Letters and the report attached.
- Upon receiving the rejection letter and the stated view that neurodiverse learners are all provided for in local state schools, one of our connected parents sent an invoice of the amount she personally paid for teacher aiding for her 8 year old son in a state school. That very night a Ministry official acted directly through the child’s school and with clear malice towards the situation/family, forced a withdrawal of services. This has been widely canvassed in the media and on social media as well as directly to politicians and senior officials. A privacy complaint is being laid by the family, who have been significantly emotionally harmed. I also believe the role and approach of the official (Deidre Alderson) and where the directive for this came from may well be a significant overstep in terms of jurisdiction. The fact that she stated that auditors will be looking for this type of donation will have a huge effect on many schools, students and families throughout New Zealand and effectively slashes funding for special needs provision at the ground level.
I look forward to a response and can fully support all of these assertions through other parties.
Yours
Alwyn Poole
Villa Education Trust
Innovative Education Consultants
www.innovativeeducation.co.nzwww.titorelodge.co.nz www.baylight.co.nz
www.mthobson.school.nz www.southauckland.school.nzwww.westauckland.school.nzwww.russellinfo.co.nz
www.wood2water.co.nz www.comm-unity.kiwi (Bay of Islands Agent)
Please share so others can discover The BFD.