Doubt over Tolley's claim on standards

PLEASE EXPLAIN: Education Minister Anne Tolley has been asked to explain why she wrongly claimed the association was "extremely supportive" of national standards.

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The head of the School Trustees Association has asked Education Minister Anne Tolley to explain why she wrongly claimed the association was "extremely supportive" of national standards.

Mrs Tolley fought off criticism yesterday after it was revealed that parents in charge of 48 school boards had written to her at a rate of more than one a week complaining about aspects of the national standards.

Answering questions in Parliament, she said she had been to the annual conference of the STA and found president Lorraine Kerr and her executive were "extremely supportive" of the standards. Mrs Kerr had won a standing ovation from the 600 delegates at the conference, Mrs Tolley said.

"I think that's a very good sign that that conference of 600 representatives were supportive of their stance."

But Mrs Kerr said yesterday that she had "never said" boards were supportive of the policy. Mrs Tolley's claims about the standing ovation were "an awkward one to answer". The ovation had been in recognition of her 21 years of service as a school trustee. "Possibly that's a conversation I need to have with the minister.

"Around our executive, there are mixed views. Around our executive there are still concerns about the relationship between a principal and a board and they are concerned about the overload of national standards."

Yesterday Labour education spokesman Trevor Mallard issued 51 letters and emails sent by 50 boards of trustees to the Government between July last year and mid-May this year. Of the 50 boards, 48 expressed varying degrees of concern about national standards. Only one expressed full support and one asked for more information.

"Anne Tolley claims that only school principals oppose the standards, but from letters and emails she has received, parents and boards of trustees are extremely worried, not extremely supportive," Mr Mallard said.

Among the correspondents, Dennis Matiu, chairman of Horeke School in Northland, wrote to advise that his school would not be implementing the standards.

Khandallah School chairman Bill Courtney wrote complaining that Mrs Tolley had been "dismissive" of his school's concerns and that she was "not supportive of the role that the board plays in the governance of the school".

Manurewa's Hillpark School chairman Drew Cowley wrote of "deep concern" about the reporting of the standards. "We believe the timeline for the implementation process is unrealistic and does not conform to best practice."

Mrs Tolley has repeatedly said criticism of the policy is focused around vested interests in teacher unions.

Yesterday, she said she had received "an overwhelming message of support for national standards" at the STA conference. "They were also at pains to point out that there was a vocal minority in the sector."

The critical letters needed to be seen in the context of more than 2000 school boards, she said.

New Zealand Educational Institute president Frances Nelson said the letters showed there was not enough support for the "flawed" policy. "The question is how bad does it have to get before the Government agrees to listen?"