Vulnerable and Persecuted Teachers Those in the service who have experienced bullying and persecution by Dept of Education officials will know. Those who haven’t need to know. Teachers, teachers aides and principals, like police, work in a tough social environment where the buck stops with them. Many NSW schools and communities are blessed with wise principals, inclusive, valued staff, supportive, active, progressive P&Cs. However, as a former teacher (20 years) and Independent NSW MP (now retired) I was shocked to find how exposed are educators at the coalface to bullying, injustice and even persecution. Teachers stressed to the limit (some on suicide watch), devoid of the support of their union and actively pursued by their employees in a system riddled with injustice. As my CV and the authorised biography The Stench in this Parliament document, I carry a heavy burden. I cannot ignore injustice, corruption, wastage, abuse of power and failed systems. Thus what began as a teacher in tears in my garden led me on a journey. I now know that the Dept of Education and its instrument Employees Performance And Conduct unit (EPAC) behave in many ways as did the NSW Police Service prior to the Police Royal Commission. The NSW Police Service was exposed as corrupt. Bullying was rife, good police were sidelined and persecuted. Whilst it cannot be said that the Dept of Education approaches this level of failure, there are worrying similarities. EXAMPLES UNCOVERED BY OUR TEAM’S RESEARCH 1. Primary school children, years 5/6, interviewed without parental knowledge or consent, without independent (of the Dept of Ed) witness and their written statements used in disciplinary action against a teacher whilst the teacher was on stress leave. This practice was condoned in writing by the Dept of Education. (Even police can’t do that.) 2. EPAC investigation biased and unprofessional • Statements/evidence untested. • Selective witness interview. • Uncorroborated evidence (even that which EPAC had previously dismissed) used against a teacher. • Targeted teacher denied full knowledge of allegations against them, witness identity and supporting evidence. • Education employees involved to try to deny teacher compensation. • Alleged bully put in charge of the disciplinary process inflicted on the teacher. • The glowing testimonies and performance reports and high academic qualifications counted for nothing in an atmosphere of ‘get the teacher’. • Resignation of two lots of P&C Executive. • P&C meeting terminated by a principal, minutes altered, actions condoned in a case of departmental bullying supported by an intimidating address by a senior Dept of Ed employee to the P&C concerned. • Primary school students exposed to dangerous electrical circuitry in a classroom in the face of an electrical engineer’s report. All OH&S procedures ignored. Principal defended by Dept of Ed. Complaints referred back to the principal. • In the same school, students exposed to mercury dust from broken neon tubes. OH&S ignored. I personally witnessed the bullying, the distress of the teacher, the farcial process and the complete failure of the Union. When the government cut funding for students with learning difficulties, Dept of Ed employees in some schools ‘leaned on’ protesting teachers and parents in political interference to stifle the democratic right to legitimate protest. The shameful neglect of bullied staff by the Teachers Federation I was present when a Teachers Federation rep mouthed the words used by the alleged bully at previous meetings. Did not tell the targeted teacher of the visit. Did not seek to speak with teacher or ask how the Union could help. Do you know that your Union has signed an agreement to abide by the process I have outlined? Your Union represents principals as well as teachers. If a principal is a bully, teachers are on their own. Confidentiality The Dept of Ed stifles dissent, knowledge essential to a targeted teacher’s defence by a completely closed process, yet does not punish the persecutors who peddle scuttlebutt and intimidate potential witnesses. Failure to follow guidelines Dept of Ed guidelines are blatantly broken by Dept of Ed process. Confidentiality is one-sided. Role of P&C P&C members were denied in the circumstances all the facts, and even basic information. The P&C was not respected as independent with rights afforded to citizens at large. Abuse of power • Abuse of power by some Dept of Ed employees is truly shocking. • Teachers’ aides/Teachers working as casuals A bullying principal supported by an uncaring dept can inflict heavy punishment on teachers’ aides and causals simply because they exercise their rights to a fair go. Hours are cut or teachers’ aids sacked or isolated, the latter in a case where the teachers’ aide was ‘cut down’ and protesting parents forced a fair go. • Teachers Federation or staff reps can be bullied and intimidated, unlike when I was a teacher and the Union rep was respected, effective and supported. • P&Cs pressured Spouses of teachers who are active P&C members can be pressured. Dept of Ed rules, excessive confidentiality (noting that confidentiality has an important role) can neuter progressive P&C involvement. In regional NSW where jobs are scarce, teachers’ aides, casuals and permanent teachers are vulnerable. Kangaroo court procedures Citizen rights in a democracy The right to: • know the detail of the allegations against • access to all the evidence • have evidence professionally collected, investigated and tested by an impartial investigator • have all matters tested in a judicial way, ie - witness examination evidence evaluation • decision by an independent person as part of an independent process. NOTE: Corruption and abuse of power flourished in the NSW Police Service because police officers were denied natural justice, bullied, set up, sidelined, as a result of the internal handling of complaints. Unsigned statements were used to convict. “YES, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.” The strong allegations I have made are backed by evidence! YOU ARE NOT POWERLESS! HOW TO WIN! HOW TO CHANGE! This is not just you! All teachers, teachers’ aides, students, parents, principals, are entitled to: justice a supportive, happy workplace professional respect a fair go! PROCESS TO PROTECT YOU! The Police Royal Commission I instigated in the NSW Parliament in 1995 came about because I stuck my neck out! I respected confidentiality and identity protection. (I’m prepared to do it again.) Honest, professional, dedicated police trusted me. Those confidences are still kept to this day. As a team, we set achievable goals. HOW? • Contact our team, each of which is sworn to respect confidentiality. • Summarize your experience. The NSW Ombudsman • Respects confidentiality. • Must be convinced to instigate a state-wide investigation. • Is empowered to report to Parliament. LIKE THE POLICE ROYAL COMMISSION, IT CANNOT HAPPEN UNLESS YOU GET INVOLVED AND WE UNEARTH SUFFICIENT SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE TO CONVINCE THE OMBUDSMAN. WITH THE EVIDENCE, WITH OR WITHOUT ACTION BY THE OMBUDSMAN, I CAN HAVE THE MATTER RAISED IN PARLIAMENT, BUT IT IS MUCH BETTER TO COLLECT FURTHER EVIDENCE FIRST. IF YOU DO NOTHING, SAVES ME A HELL OF A LOT OF WORK, FREELY GIVEN IN MY RETIREMENT! WHETHER IN THE SERVICE OR RETIRED, HELP IN THIS AND YOU HELP YOURSELF AND A NOBLE PROFESSION. ENCOURAGE OTHERS. Do not help, and remain helpless. The system stifles dissent and truth, and undermines proper process. WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED Public Service Employees Integrity Commission • Complaints against principals, teachers, teachers’ aides and Dept of Ed employees generally, which affords natural justice under the rule of law. • Dealt with externally with independent judicial process to ensure impartial, proper just and fair process for all parties (a model which could apply also to, for example, the Dept of Health, where anecdotal evidence is that bullying is endemic.) • Separate unions As with police, the rank and file union is separate from ‘the Commissioned Officers Assn’. Principals and teachers can benefit from such a structure. The unions are not conflicted if separated. Cover-up, excuses, obfuscation & no action I have been personally involved in meetings with: • a principal, teachers and teachers’ aides • senior Dept of Ed regional officer • Dept of Ed consultant. DEPT OF ED PROCESS – A DISGRACE Notes of meetings, numerous letters, faxes, emails and reports, copies of rules, regulations and procedures support this conclusion. We have experienced: • attempts by Dept of Ed to obfuscate and sideline our extremely serious concerns • Dept of Ed ignoring its own guidelines This scenario is very familiar to me from my experience as an Independent MP. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE? YOUR IDEAS FOR REFORM? SOLUTION 1. Confidential evidence gathering from across NSW to convince the Ombudsman to use his powers of access and investigation to instigate a state-wide inquiry and report to Parliament. 2. Guaranteed confidentiality. The same as I used to gather evidence necessary to force a Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service. (Note: some police literally trusted me with their lives.) 3. Unique experience. I ‘blew the lid’ on the NSW Dept of Housing, the then Dept of Motor Transport (the Lewer magisterial inquiry resulted), the Judiciary (with Professor Tony Vinson; the Judicial Commission resulted), the then Sydney Metropolitan Sewerage and Drainage Board (computer purchase and servicing fraud). The world-renowned Police Royal Commission, which exposed endemic corruption. The Police Integrity Commission, from which resulted far-reaching reform. Our team is experienced and tight-lipped, and does include victims. THE FIGHTBACK IS UP TO YOU! DON’T BE INTIMIDATED! • KEEP A DIARY – accurate diaries are prima facie evidence and your best protection. • PREPARE A SUMMARY • Carefully collate and evaluate the evidence. GETTING STARTED • Contact us. • Be anonymous if you wish, but detail your experience in dot points and list the evidence. • It’s better to trust us. We can contact you if necessary to authenticate the material and give advice. We undertake not to expose individuals, but the pattern and extent of the problems. It’s then up to the Ombudsman. We can’t afford the time and expense to crisscross NSW. Down the track you may with others want a meeting. I AM FINANCING THIS MYSELF, PAYING FOR SECRETARIAL SERVICE, AND ALL OF THE TEAM ARE EXPERIENCED, TRUSTED VOLUNTEERS. Do nothing is NOT an option • It undermines - your self-esteem your noble profession • It fails the children • It encourages bullies and abuse of power. TIMING I aim to complete and compile the case by September. I have discussed options with a sitting MP. Our team is hard at work and awaits your input. John Hatton
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 09:27:27 +0000
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