Summarised by Centrist
A teacher who criticised the Teaching Council’s opposition to the Government’s Treaty Principles Bill is under investigation after a public complaint accused her of breaching professional standards.
The teacher posted on Facebook: “The Maorification of school life is going too far… What is NZ First going to do about this?”
ACT’s education spokesperson Laura McClure called the complaint “vexatious” and a threat to free speech. “This teacher has a right, like anyone else, to express their opinions freely on social media,” she said. “The Council cannot use its Code of Conduct to silence political opinion outside the classroom.”
The Free Speech Union is defending the teacher, warning that such complaints are part of a growing pattern of ideological targeting: “Teachers do not lose their civil liberties upon entering the profession,” said senior counsel Hannah Clow. “This principle is fundamental to the values of a liberal democracy.”
The Teaching Council would not comment on the specific case but said all complaints are considered confidentially and not all proceed to formal investigation.
