Principals and teachers – a united force

Media Release
September 30 2010

Principals and teachers – a united force

Delegates at PPTA’s annual conference were assured that they have the support of their principals through the industrial round and a shared ‘moral purpose.’

Hamilton principal Mary Ann Baxter, who spoke on behalf of the New Zealand Secondary Principals’ Council (NZSPC), said principals and teachers should never be seen as separate bodies.

“We are well aware of how others would like to separate us off – staff from principals, principals from staff – we know that we must also be strong and articulate across our community when we see threats to our conditions, which we know right now are less than the minimum to sustain a vibrant, rich and robust curriculum going forward.

“We must be seen together as formidable, clearly collegial, voices always promoting and interested primarily in supporting the future our youth deserve,” she said.

Baxter also spoke of the importance of having professional conditions guaranteed through the industrial process. She spoke of a “moral contract” shared by principals and teachers “where the professional and the industrial are inextricably woven together.”

Baxter criticised government clawbacks in terms of teacher conditions and particularly the 10 ‘call back’ days.

“Teachers without exception choose to give far, far more than 10 days outside times when students attend…Our staff would seldom get the minimum of annual holidays if we took their hours and averaged them out over 40 hour weeks. I’m certain this calculation around 10 days is not done by anyone who has ever been a teacher – or ever lived with someone who is teaching… Staff’s goodwill is something was could never fully pay for. It is something given – not something that we can ever afford to take for granted, or expect as of right,” Baxter said.

She urged teachers to stay strong and committed.
“Never lose sight of our moral purpose – our moral contract with our youth and our communities,” she said.

ENDS

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