INDEPENDENT NEWS

NZEI too partisan

Published: Wed 27 Sep 2006 05:03 PM
Hon Bill English
National Party Education Spokesman
27 September 2006
NZEI too partisan
A speech by the President of the NZEI shows the organisation cannot separate its professional role from its political opposition to the National Party, says National’s Education spokesman, Bill English.
“A professional organisation motivated by education would not take such an aggressive and misleading political position as the president, Irene Cooper, did today at the NZEI annual conference.
“She implied that National campaigns to destroy the union and teachers’ right to bargain, supports national testing, and plans to pay teachers on the academic performance of students, along with myriad other terrible sins.
“All of this untrue and she knows it.
“As National’s spokesman on education, I have engaged in constructive debate with the union and its representatives for three years.
“It is unfortunate that the NZEI’s response is such an ill-considered and misleading attack.
“Of course we disagree on some issues, because the NZEI’s job is to represent its members, and National's job is to represent parents and children.
“I hope NZEI members will pull their leadership back from such aggressive and partisan behaviour in favour of a failing Labour Government,” says Mr English.
ENDS

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media