Alwyn Poole founded and was the head of Mt Hobson Middle School in Auckland for 18 years. MH Academy is an in-person private school for years 11 – 13, with a nationwide online provision called Mt Hobson Academy Connected, for years 1 – 13.
Alwyn Poole
New Zealanders should never forget the words of Prime Minister Ardern in September of 2020.
On Tuesday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern went a step further, saying not only will there be no forced vaccinations, but those who choose to opt-out won’t face any penalties at all.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/09/coronavirus-jacinda-ardern-confident-enough-kiwis-will-get-covid-19-vaccine-for-herd-immunity-without-being-forced-to.html
In 2021 the PM then imposed a health order requiring teachers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. Hundreds of teachers – for a range of reasons – took the long-held and hard-earned New Zealand option to make a valid medical treatment choice by choosing not to have the mRNA treatment.
To rub salt into the wound, the Teaching Council chose not to change its processes in this unprecedented circumstance and still required principals around the country to submit mandatory reports for each teacher that was dismissed. The Teaching Council then wrote to each of these teachers to tell them off.
Many of these are long-term teachers, principals, faculty heads, big contributors and superb professionals. I have heard many stories of appalling treatment that are well outside normal employment-law expectations. An example is one teacher who brought her family to New Zealand four years ago in response to the government’s plea for teachers. She went to a decile one school in a small and troubled town and was doing a remarkable job. On the “mandate Monday”, her principal, knowing full well that her family visa depended on her employment, walked in and said: “Laptop. Keys. Get out!”
The lack of support and further slating by the Teaching Council is shameful. Many individuals lost their jobs, lost income, lost increments, were ostracised and not permitted to say farewell to staff and students. They have been kicked when down.
It is also obvious that the teachers’ unions were negligent, and there is no way they would have taken their impotent position had the mandate been imposed by Key and Parata.
I am proud to be associated with the Villa Education Trust, who, in their three schools, not only ensured that they made no permanent lay-offs but, in fact, employed seven new staff – a number of whom had suffered under the mandate.
It was/is possible for schools and boards to have been positive through this time.
Speaking of positive: these are our two new innovations that students and families can access New Zealand wide – and will grow quickly.
www.innovativeeducation.co.nz/books-aloud
https://www.innovativeeducation.co.nz/generation-skip
As well as our online school: https://www.mthobson.school.nz/mha-connected.