In the later half of May this year, 235 brave N.S.W. State School Principals, out of about 2200, personally supporting the teachers’ ban against NAPLAN. received a scolding letter from their Director-General Michael Coutts-Trotter who, pulling rank without professional comment, warned them that, if they ever do such a thing again, they will be subject to ‘disciplinary action’. Maralyn Parker, education writer for the Daily Telegraph said [Thursday, May 27] : At the moment there is still a lot of division and conflict in public schools between teachers, principals and School Education Directors about the proposed ban and the cave-in by the national teacher union. Principals who could not convince their staff to ignore the ban were told they were lacking in leadership skills and principals who supported the ban were labelled with a D. Who knows what that might do to their career.? I have never seen so much bitterness, anger and division over any other incident in public schools. Coutts-Trotter told me today that principals who personally supported the ban needed to reflect on the fact that they are employed as public servants to deliver the tests as promised by our elected politicians.
The 235 brave deserve a gold medal each. It is heartening to think that there are some true professionals out there, prepared to protect our children from the shameful attacks on the way that children need to be treated at school. They are upholding the highest ideals of public service when they stand firm against immoral, anti-learnacy attacks from those educrats who just don’t know what they are doing. The 235 need to be strong under the present totalitarian, eichmannese regime, until their colleagues re- develop their ethical backbone. Give strength to their efforts. May their ‘professional’ organisations support and join them; and tell the Eichmanns of public disservice routines to desist.
Maralyn Parker received an endless number of comments on her article; many, many more than I have seen in any other forum on this issue.
The last one, out-of-tune with the seriousness of the issue, wrote:
“Gosh, Maralyn, you started something. All the comments seem to confirm that NAPLAN -or is it NAPALM? – is a great example of a stupid idea. If Maxine had joined in the fray she is sure to have said things like…
“As long as there are tests, there will always be prayers in state schools.” “The DG and fellow educrats seem normal until you get to know them.” “As Julia told me : Shhh. That’s the sound of me caring what schoolies think.” “Wipe your mouth, D-G. There’s still time, but the b—dust still sticks to your lips.” “When Julia G. changes her mind, I hope she holds on to the nappy.” and “YOU FEEL LIKE USING UPPERCASE !”
