Tolley threatens to sack school boards 

Source: Q+A

The national standards row has heated up even further with Education Minister Anne Tolley saying she will fire primary school boards which allow teachers to boycott national standards.

The standards regime has come under fire from teachers, parents and academics, concerned at the speed of its implementation and the effects it would have on children who were falling behind.

Tolley last week ruled out any trial - sought by education academics and others - or further delay and said boards which allowed teachers not to implement the standards would be breaking the law.

Schools are to start using the system from February.

Unions have signalled boycotts and industrial action over the standards and sought principals' support. They have asked principals to lobby boards to support teachers.

Tolley told The New Zealand Herald on Monday that in "extreme" cases of a boycott she would dissolve the board involved and install a commissioner to run the school.

"If despite having that pointed out to them, they absolutely refused, I do have the power to dissolve the board and put in a commissioner," she said.

"In the end, I would have to do that. I don't think it would come to that, but if it went to the nth degree I would do it. You just cannot have schools disobeying the law."

Labour Party education spokesman Trevor Mallard said a trial would provide information about whether the scheme was a good way to go or not.

"I'm surprised she's putting herself into that corner. She does have a choice."

New Zealand Educational Institute president Frances Nelson is disappointed at Tolley's position.

"The way she is approaching it is like she's got herself into a corner and can't find a way out without losing face."

The School Trustees Association Lorraine Kerr told the Principals' Federation and the NZEI they were being "irresponsible and unprofessional" in telling principals to lobby their boards.

A meeting of 80 Northland principals last week unanimously agreed not to implement the standards until their effect was better known.