An information evening for Elizabeth College parents and students will be held at the AEU Hobart offices in Patrick Street beginning next Tuesday evening. (10th November)

The meeting will be the first opportunity for Elizabeth College students and parents to obtain information about Tasmania Tomorrow and the potential impact on the students’ education.

The AEU is determined that students and parents should be informed about the potential of Tasmania Tomorrow to seriously undermine student learning outcomes as has happened in colleges that have gone into Tasmania Tomorrow this year.

Parents have been kept in the dark about the ramifications of Tasmania Tomorrow.

AEU Secondary Colleges President, Greg Brown said: “Many Elizabeth College parents have contacted the union. Parents are astounded that a tiny group of six people, purporting to represent them as a college association, have made such a critical decision about the future of their college but have never sought to inform the college community . There has just been silence from the association for two years on Tasmania Tomorrow. The AEU intends to fill that void.”

“You really have to ask why it a matter of such importance has been kept within such a small unrepresentative group,” Greg Brown said.

One parent said: “The Association says they are representing us but this secretive little group has deliberately kept information from us. Surely the principal has a duty to fully inform parents about a change of this size and what it will mean to our children?

“Sixty percent of teachers voted not to go in to Tasmania Tomorrow next year. That means there is a 60% chance that my child might be taught next year by a teacher who has absolutely no confidence in Tasmania Tomorrow and is being coerced into it.”

The End

Anger About Elizabeth College Association Decision Grows

Anger directed at the Elizabeth College Association is continuing to grow. Members of the college community have flooded the AEU office with complaints about the Association and how the opinion of only six of its members was seized upon by David Bartlett to overrule the 60% of college teachers who voted not to go into Tasmania Tomorrow next year.

In question time in parliament Greens Leader, Nick McKim, pointed out that the Elizabeth College Association decision to ignore the teachers’ vote did not have a quota and was therefore invalid.

Elizabeth College principal, Graeme Young, then reported that the decision was not after all that of the Association, as stated in his media release. It was instead that of a committee of the Association, and that only six members supported the decision.

The problem for Mr Young is that David Bartlett in his press release explicitly says: “In light of this plan, today I also accepted the recommendation of the Elizabeth College Association to continue their transition to the Tasmanian Polytechnic and Academy for 2010.”

The difference is more than a mere technicality. If it was really a meeting of the Association it lacked a quorum even by the information provided by Mr Young.

The mysterious Association is not mentioned anywhere on the Elizabeth College website. Nor are copies of its constitution or minutes of meetings.

The Association Chair, Peter Jarvis, wrote in the college newsletter: “As you may know the School Association consists of all parents and guardians of students enrolled…..”.

If this is so then the Association has a membership of up to two thousand people. It is interesting that David Bartlett and the college principal, Graeme Young could accept a vote of six out of two thousand (0.3%) yet still reject the vote of 60% of teachers who wanted to stay out of Tasmania Tomorrow until all of the trouble is fixed.

Parents are entitled to feel aggrieved that they were not given any say in a decision that according to the Premier’s press release was taken on their behalf.

There are a number of other questions that the Premier, the principal or Peter Jarvis need to clarify.

Firstly, how many students were involved in this vote? According to John Smyth, the Education Department Secretary in his Instructions on School Associations, certain categories must be represented at meetings. At College level this includes students. But no students participated in the meeting. This must invalidate any decision taken.

Secondly, how many members of the committee were currently parents of students at the College? According to John Smyth’s instructions, the number of parent members must not be less than half of the number of community members. There is only one parent member on the current Elizabeth College council. This also must invalidate any decision taken.

David Bartlett should immediately honour his commitment to the Elizabeth College teachers, whom he said could stay out of Tasmania Tomorrow if they voted to do so.

That he continues to associate himself with the discredited information supplied to him by the discredited Elizabeth College Association is further undermining his credibility as Premier of this state.

4 November 2009.
Greg Brown AEU President Secondary Colleges Sector/PY10