Education board 'not good boss’

Press, 18 February 1989, Page 8

Education board 'not good boss’

PA Invercargill The Southland Education Board said yesterday it had not been a good employer to former Drummond School principal, Mr Llew Gwynne, and promised to revise procedures for handling complaints. In a joint statement issued with the New Zealand Educational Institute and Drummond School committee, resolving the dispute which has closed the school, the board said the situation had not been handled adequately. All bans had now been lifted and the board hoped it would not be too long before the school was again staffed and running properly. It would be taking immediate steps to put in place more appropriate, revised procedures.. Drummond School has been closed since the end

of January after the institute placed a ban on members taking jobs there.

The union said that Mr Gwynne was pressured into resigning by parents unhappy with his teaching and discipline, and that the complaint was not made or dealt with correctly. In the statement, the board said it could fully understand Mr Gwynne’s feeling that he did not have its support during “this unhappy situation.” In the final analysis the board wanted to make it quite clear that no complaint ■ made against Mr Gwynne had been upheld, and no fault was found on his part.

The school committee said it acknowledged the necessity of following correct procedures in cases where complaints were made against teachers.