Federation has welcomed formal written support from the Greens and NSW Labor to oppose the Perrottet Government’s controversial Inclusive, Engaging and Respectful Schools policy.
Deputy President Henry Rajendra said the Greens spokesperson for education, Tamara Smith, expressed to Federation her party’s concerns about the new policy.
We welcome the Greens announcement that the Government’s lack of consultation and engagement with teachers and principals in regard to this new policy is very concerning.
Ms Smith has expressed her party’s support for Federation’s moratorium on implementing the flawed Inclusive, Engaging and Respectful Schools policy. She has also sought a meeting with Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on this issue and we look forward to continued support from the Greens.
We also concur with the Greens’ statement that this policy unjustifiably characterises schools as the point of failure when suspensions are issued, not the years of Government neglect and its failure to properly resource the necessary infrastructure and expertise required to deliver early intervention,†said Mr Rajendra.
I am also happy to say that shadow minister for education Prue Car has doubled down on NSW Labor’s commitment from last May to scrap this divisive policy. Ms Car and the Labor party understand that this policy fails to protect the right of teachers to teach, and the right of students to learn, in a safe classroom environment.
She stands with the thousands of teachers across hundreds of schools who have rejected the implementation of this policy on the grounds that it ignores the genuine concerns raised by the union.