Bartlett threatens teachers who don’t toe the line

· The Premier will force Elizabeth College into his Tasmania Tomorrow experiment against the wishes of teachers

· Dissenting teachers threatened– tantamount to blackmail

· Political trouble-shooting team to help David Bartlett, not our students

The Premier’s political fix-it team announced today to try and patch up his failing Tasmania Tomorrow experiment is designed to help David Bartlett’s political fortunes and will do little for our students.

It was also an attempted distraction for his “by the way” announcement that he will force Elizabeth College into Tasmania Tomorrow against the wishes of teachers – and against his earlier commitment not to do so.

Further, David Bartlett’s so-called offer that teachers not wishing to move into Tasmania Tomorrow will be given jobs “within the Department” is repugnant and tantamount to blackmail.

With his bullying tactics and “crash or bash through” tactics David Bartlett is resembling Paul Lennon more and more every day.

But even Paul Lennon wouldn’t have stopped so low as to threaten teachers who disagreed with him.

Mr Bartlett must immediately back-down from this repugnant threat to teachers.

And instead of trying to put a political patch up on his failing education experiment, he must listen to teachers and suspend the process.

By allowing the four remaining and biggest colleges to continue as stand alone providers of both academic and VET programs students can make a choice rather than a one size fits all approach that Labor is trying to impose.
Sue Napier MP Shadow Education Minister