Teachers who lost their jobs because they were not “fully vaccinated by 1 January, 2022” are encouraged by Monday's news that the Police have settled their personal grievance claims over staff treatment after Covid-19 vaccine refusals.

“This is great news” says spokesperson Mike Shaw, “but it still remains that the teachers have been waiting since April to have a ruling on their case heard before the Court of Appeal. By all accounts, this is now “outstanding beyond a reasonable time.”

New Zealand Teachers Speaking Out with Science (NZTSOS) are an incorporated society of over 1,200 educators who appealed the decision of Justice Francis Cooke. Justice Cooke determined last year that the mandates for educators to be vaccinated were “demonstrably justified”.

NZTSOS believe the Covid-19 vaccine mandates breached the Bill of Rights and believe that Justice Cooke simply “got it wrong” and took their case to the Court of Appeal in April 2023.

“The good reputation of New Zealand’s robust justice system is at risk, with this ruling now being outstanding beyond a reasonable time" says Mike Shaw. "Mandated out of a job educators have sustained loss of employment, reputation and suffered discrimination. They face further injury by having little hope for a timely and effective remedy and resolution of this breach of their human rights. We hope the ruling comes out early in the new year so redress can be sought.”

New Zealand’s new Government says it will carry out a “full scale, wide-ranging, independent inquiry” into how the Covid-19 pandemic was handled in Aotearoa. The National Party and New Zealand First coalition agreement document outlines that it will ensure “as a matter of urgency” that the inquiry is established and completed. NZTSOS hopes that this independent inquiry spotlights the injustice done to many in the education community.

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