Teachers' ‘yellow list’ may be dropped

Press, 2 June 1982, Page 16

Teachers ' ‘yellow list’ may be dropped

PA Wellington A confidential list of teachers of “doubtful suitability" circulated by the Education Department as a warning to State schools, may be dropped after a report by the Chief Ombudsman this week. Known as the "yellow list," it names about 30 teachers who education boards should be wary of employing. The Education Department’s assistant secretary of administration, Mr Peter Munn, has said that the teachers listed usually had court convictions, a record of physically punishing children too often, inadequacies in teaching, or a record of indecency with pupils. He said the department was reviewing the existence of the list after the report by the Chief Ombudsman (Mr G. R. Laking) and a decision on its future would be made in the next few weeks. The report was the result of a complaint from a,, teacher who discovered by * chance that his name was op the list . because of a drugrelated conviction. The

teacher said the inclusion of his name was unjust as his conviction had been quashed on appeal later that year. He faced difficulty in obtaining a new teaching position and put it down to the list. The Education Department had been aware of the outcome of the appeal but had omitted to take any step to remove his name. In his report. Mr Laking said teachers should be told if their names were to be included in the list and given the opportunity to comment on the reasons and to correct any misleading or inaccurate information. He said the case highlighted the kind of injustice which could arise from the present system of .listing teachers. The general manager of the Wellington Education Board, Mr John Lelliot, has said the list was considered when the appointments committee received job applications. . .- "The names would not be on the list if it wasn’t for a good reason,” he said. "Obviously with plenty of

teachers looking for jobs, those named on the yellow >" list would have a' slim . > chance of getting a job. The list should be retained in the L interests of children.” ■: n The president of the Edu- b.cational Institute, Mr Gerry IL. Brown, said it was time ..•»<) procedures surrounding the.did yellow list were reviewed. "I am astonished to find. I ’'! there could be a teacher on vd this list who did not know;” about it. <’<j “It is important that appointments committees know ;.3irf of the status of people who/'q have been teachers but arc " no longer suitable for teach- '1 ing children, but the proce-’ w' l dure needs to be tidied up." “id Mr Munn said the list .was, for the benefit of employing.”. 1 .:, authorities and their - re-«-> sponsibility for the welfare A of pupils. The names were f supplied on recommendation 1 from other Education f Boards. ‘• A • | Most of the teachers on' the I list had left teaching, and it * was generally, .used when • they sought to re-enter the i profession, he said,' J