Teacher Council Getting it Right – About Time!

Sensible Sentencing Trust is pleased with the announcement from the Teachers Council that as from July 1st all disciplinary hearings for teachers charged with serious misconduct will be opened up to the public and media.

Speaking to the media, Teachers Council Director, Peter Lind, was certain these changes would improve the current situation and restore faith back into our schooling system.

“This is a huge step in the right direction,” Nadia Crighton Spokesperson for the Prevention of Child Abuse says. “Allowing transparency will ensure the safety of all New Zealand children in our school systems.”

This move comes in light of many cases of misconduct and abuse surface in New Zealand schools. “We have many many wonderful teachers in New Zealand who really make a huge impact on the happiness of our children,” she continues. “By allowing the system to become rigorous and robust we are protecting our children while also ensuring our good teachers can continue to thrive in their jobs.”

Under the new rules, teachers who were caught offending would be made accountable for their actions. The tribunal will still have the power to close some parts of the hearings and suppress the names in order to protect children. “The main key is that the suppression will only be used to protect children, not protect the identity of the teacher.”

SST is still calling on the Government to adopt the same approach for all name suppression cases, particularly when the offender has extensive sexual abuse convictions against children.

“Name suppression has turned into an act to protect the wrong person and it’s time we made a change.”

Currently SST is currently facing legal action from the Director of Human Rights Proceedings, on behalf of a convicted child-sex offender, who is claiming he had name suppression when his name was published by the Trust.

“This is just another case of name suppression gone mad, thankfully our schools have much more sense when it comes to protecting our children and the next generation of Kiwi leaders.”

ENDS

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