Schools review under attack: A very, very good comment. Steve Cutler, of Pleasant Point, and a teacher of more than 20 years experience, reflects on the review of schools in the Timaru district.

His closing quote is excellent:"The responsibility for our ethical decisions is entirely ours and cannot be shifted to anyone else. Whatever authority we accept, it is we who accept it."

Those Pesky Boards

I believe that the schools being "merged" are in fact being closed. And that a new school is being opened in their place. But some Boards of Trustees support the proposed closures, as they see a financial lifeline to their under funded schools. Some of these boards have consulted with the parents at their schools, others feel that they can make decisions without consultation. They were elected, right?

The boards were put in place to manage the day to day running of the schools – not to oversee their closure. Before accepting this role the boards must get a clear mandate from the parents they claim to represent. If they don't there will be bitterness from parents whose views were excluded. See: if the creation of new schools goes ahead, the communities involved will have to work together afterwards. Something that is very hard to do with lingering resentment around!

If your board is making decisions that you do not agree with, contact them and let them know! It is important!

Please let me know what is happening at your school!