The bullying principals

I blogged a link on 31 August to two principals discussing national standards. One principal was a campaigner against them (and head of the Canterbury Principals Assn) and the other was a principal who supports the standards.

Duncan Garner reports on the abuse and bullying Donna Donnelly has received for daring to say she has no problems with national standards:

Tikipunga principal Donna Donnelly supports standards in numeracy in literacy. Neighbouring principal Peter Witana, an executive member of the New Zealand Principals Federation (NZPF), does not.

So he sent her a strongly worded email.

“It’s a type of bullying and I don’t accept it,” says Ms Donnelly.

Mr Witana told Ms Donnelly her support “reeks of arrogance and ignorance”, that she should be “sacked on the spot”, and that she should “get off her backside and look closer”.

Another principal told her to watch her back.

Witana is basically a union heavy. How dare he say she should be sacked, because she refuses to agree with the union.  If anyone should be facing the sack – it should be him. What sort of role model is he for pupils, when he is exposed as a ranting bully.

And Duncan reports in a follow up story:

But Donnelly continues to be targeted.

Another Northland principal Pat Newman also emailed  Donnelly for taking the spat to 3 News; he wrote;

“It was despicable. I am so sad that you call yourself a principal. When you left the Waikato the message from many of your colleagues was that you were the ‘best export they had ever made.’”

Mr Newman sounds like a spiteful 10 year old. He is also a Labour Party actvist who is seeking Labour’s nomination for Whangarei. Meet your future Education Minister!!

The vast majority of schools have just got on with implementing national standards. But consider if you are one of those principals. Would you dare to state a view that is contrary to the union? So do not be surprised when you only hear from one side of teh debate – the other side have been scared off.