Sue
MORONEY
Education Spokesperson

21 August 2011 MEDIA
National creates stalemate on standards

Anne Tolley's statements this weekend show National has no intention of finding a solution to the stalemate it has created with school communities over its failing national standards policy, Labour education spokesperson Sue Moroney says.
“This stalemate has children and parents caught in the middle and is distracting schools from their focus on quality education. A solution must be found,” Sue Moroney said.
“Finding that solution has however not been helped by Anne Tolley’s decision this weekend to threaten statutory intervention at schools that don’t comply with National Standards before the election.

“Instead of working with schools on what is best for students National have belittled teachers and schools and is now blatantly bullying them with threats of statutory managers if they do not comply.

“They should be working with schools, it’s the mark of a very poor Minister, that she has failed to achieve an effective dialogue with schools and has been reduced to petty bullying.

“National needs to ask its self why after three years its has failed to convince teachers that standards are the right option and parents need to ask themselves whether a Government that is so at odds with teachers is doing the best job for their children?

“Labour believes in teachers and parents working together in the best interests of students, National believes in putting idealogy ahead of our children,” Sue Moroney said.

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