Boards of trustees are a key part of our education system (prob need a review after 21 years but that is another issue).
Anne Tolley is today launching a campaign to encourage people to run for boards. Normally I would be very supportive but we are not in normal times.
I’m not saying don’t run. But I am saying take care, think carefully.
Boards over the next couple of years are likely to be caught between assessment experts, academics, principals, teachers, parents and a Minister of Education with a very poor understanding of what is currently happening in schools, who has cut $95m from teaching and professional development budgets and is insisting on reducing standards against which students are assessed and the quality of reporting below that most schools do at the moment.
It will be a harder job than previously.
Trevor, are you seriously suggesting the incumbent Minister of Education is still going to hold the portfolio at the time of the next election?
I know you would like her to, but I can’t imagine Key is that stupid.
Well I think he is trying to hold on to her. But after the way he now holds his head as she answered questions I’ve got my doubts.
Why he only took half her portfolio off her I will never understand.
Don’t forget dealing with whatever comes out of the special education review (probably without any extra funding) and the voucher schools idea which will a nightmare for boards. And who knows what else is on the horizon – possibly another go at bulk funding?
Could be interesting being a board member but could also be a lot of work.
Many BOTs need constant capacity building and there is a lot for parents to get their heads around, but if reasonably skilled people stand off it hands the whole mess over to the tories at NZSTA by default. Having said that I know the awfulness my partner had to put up with being in a minority (she was pro union) on an Area School BOT and being bullied by local cop and lawyer. Also principals need support, a totally hostile board is not much fun for them either or ultimately dare I mention it-student achievement.
To those who want the education portfolio taken off Mrs Tolley, I would suggest that they be careful what they wish for.
Key could quite easily give education to someone more hard nosed, like ‘Crusher’. Then we should all watch out.
Better the devil you know, sometimes.
Thanks for the heads-up Trevor.
I love a challenge.
@Tiger Mountain and m illsy – agreed.
Another issue which is likely to make more work for boards is rising unemployment, which can lead to more family stress, which may result in behaviour issues in schools, leading to more students appearing before boards’ disciplinary committees.
As an active member of a BOT I can confirm we tend to take anything out of the Ministry or parliament with a grain of salt regardless of which lot are currently warming the seats.
We’re usually too busy trying to do the best for the school and students to worry to much about the whims of parliament.
Where’s my comment gone?
It was straight after m illsy.
Again, I agree with you T iger M ountain and m illsy.
Schools need a good bot – more now than ever. They need people who are able to do as ‘Boardmember’ says and take the political whim stuff with a grain of salt. The people we need on bots need to be able to support the principal, school and at the end of the day, work to lift student achievement.
What is unfortunate is that the dark days are here – it will not be an easy road to pave – with bots being threatened with sackings (good luck finding enough commissioners I say, so bring it on), and STA (School Trustees Association)coming out this last few days with mandates for bots to ignore principals and implement stds – and if the principal does not do as they direct then to implement heavy handed processes to punish the principal – It will take strong, equity based people who are about doing what is right for kids. This will be an issue for some schools who struggle to find the right people.
The mess the govt is making with education is going to get much worse – if we find our schools bots taking the heavy handed advice of STA, I suspect that there will become a crisis in many schools as Principals, teachers and various vested groups either walk off, or start fighting back. It will happen – and It astonishes me that we would have an autocratic govt starting a war that will cause serious damage to education, and one I am not sure is either worth starting or one which the govt can ultimately win without causing serious rifts that may never be fixed. This is a terrible time for a new bot – but an important one all the same – also a terrible time to enter education or take up a principals job – and given the average age of a school principal is about 58ish – we dont need to be discouraging people.
Let us not forget that not all principals are against national standards.
Boards are employers and governors of their schools and set and influence policy. The best time to stand for a board is any time your kids are school-age, no matter what the government is doing, especially if you have a useful skill-set. On the other hand, if you’re there to nod your head and feel important, I suggest you don’t stand.
I do not recommend serving on a Board of Trustees – unless you are worried about being taken over by Christian fundamentalists, Maxim Institute or other extreme right wingers!
If you are in a Decile 7 school or above, not much risk. But in the lower deciles, expect to feel the swift boot of the ERO at some stage!
I understand your warning Trevor, but in my opinion there were enough regulations in the NAGs etc by the time Labour finished to get you into a cold sweat.
Warning to potential board members – the Education Review Office and the Ministry of Education might be out to get you!
As a bot I would be more worried about the MOE than ERO – they, in some parts of NZ, have a reputation for bullying and if bots do not do what they are told (I mean, how dare they stand up for the rights of the students in their school – esp in regards to property) they are threatened with all manner of nonsense.
This is not idle speculation – but fact. To list the many schools that have had to fight this nonsense (across the country – but esp in the sth island) – many have been quite public battles, such as Aorangi – would be unfair on the schools, but suffice to know that our tax payer dollars prop up a very disfunctional MOE (not all aspects – some parts and people do a great job) – this disfunction has been highlighted in reports by the Auditor General over the last few years, yet it continues. While they are out to protect their backsides from the Minister (and lets face it – shes a fairly hostile one)BOTs can expect more and more pressure from the ‘heavies’ in the moe if they do not pull the line. To be on a bot you need to be strong, understand equity and be prepared to do some social justice work – otherwise, if the heat comes on, the bot folds and the community is left torn apart.