ACT Leader David Seymour has today challenged the Government to put kids and families before the Teachers Union.

Mr Seymour this morning tabled a Supplementary Order Paper in the House seeking to improve the Education Amendment Bill proposed by Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

Mr Seymour proposes allowing Designated Character Schools, formally Charter Schools, to maintain the same flexible governance and funding model that allowed these schools to flourish in the first place.

“Chris Hipkins all but admitted that Charter Schools serve an important role in lifting educational engagement and achievement for students in disadvantaged communities when he gave Charter Schools the option to stay open as Designated Character Schools.”

“However this Bill, supported by the Teachers’ Unions, will remove the flexibility and freedom of the Charter School model which allowed these schools to succeed in communities where state schools had previously failed kids and their families.”

“Forcing these schools to adopt the same governance, funding, and union contracts as state schools is bowing to union pressure and sends a message to the kids, families and communities who have witnessed failures of the state school system first-hand that they don’t matter.

“I challenge Labour MPs Willie Jackson, Kelvin Davis, and Peeni Henare to support my amendment, help protect the features of these schools which make them successful, and put kids first.”

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