Tolley angered by fake letter

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Wed, 25 Aug 2010 6:02p.m.

Education Minister Anne Tolley

Education Minister Anne Tolley

By Annabelle Jackman

Education Minister Anne Tolley is on the warpath.

Ms Tolley is incensed by a fake letter - allegedly signed by her - telling parents that next year primary school students will spend an extra hour at school each day, and secondary pupils an extra hour-and-a-half.

The letter was taken home by primary children at Otatara School, about 15 minutes' drive from Invercargill.

It was just another normal after-school pick up for Sue Eade today, but yesterday she was gobsmacked when her nine-year-old daughter brought home the official-looking letter.

Ms Eade contacted Ms Tolley's office and was told the letter was false and had come from her daughter's school.

“Whoever’s decided to do it, whoever sanctioned it needs to be seriously questioned about why they did it,” says Ms Eade.

“Dear teachers and students,” the letter began, “schools are having difficulty implementing the New Zealand curriculum.

"Therefore I have decided to extend the school day for students and teachers.

"Primary school students shall have an extra hour a day at school and secondary students shall have their day extended by one-and-a-half hours a day."

It was signed off by 'The Right Honourable Education Minister Anne Tolley.

 
 

The fake signature is similar to Ms Tolley's sign off.

“I'm concerned they feel its okay to forge someone’s signature on a piece of paper that looks like an official document,” says Ms Eade.

Ten-year-old Brad Koman was in one of the four classes that studied the letter, and says his teacher didn't say the letter was a fake.

“I actually believed it at first because the signature it was so similar to the one of the real parliament lady,” says Brad.

The principal wouldn't be interviewed, but a school trustee said even though the letter was to motivate creative writing, it wasn't good enough.

“There’s no doubt in our minds that the wrong thing has happened - I guess we wouldn't say that the signatures been forged,” says school trustee Justin Reid.

It seems the staff at Otatara School will have to come up with other ideas to motivate their pupils' creative writing .

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Comments

29 Aug 2010 03:04p.m.

Karen wrote:

I have two children currently at Otatara School and have nothing but the utmost respect for the principal and teachers of Otatara School. They are excellent teachers and leaders and if I had other children they would be attending this school as well. This whole episode should have been a mere blimp on the horizon (far far away by now!) and would have been if not for a few narrow-minded people who should know better, including the media. LET IT BE!!!

28 Aug 2010 08:08p.m.

brian wrote:

nhi reading and hearing this 1 name came to mind SUE BLOODY EADE.....if anyone knows this lady then reaction is whats shes after..She is a renowned pest who lies and is usually out for personal gian..This women has a dreadful track record with taking people to court and making a scene.Otatara school is a wonderful learning enviroment and a pleasure to send my kids there.This lady is a fool...Brian

26 Aug 2010 11:14a.m.

Emma wrote:

Surely the teachers could have used a fake name or made up a different country or some other creative solution if the students were to know that it wasn't true?

26 Aug 2010 08:05a.m.

Karen wrote:

I agree with Betty - Otatara is an amazing school. I went there myself as a kid many years ago, and this level of effort the teachers go to to produce the best from kids is something I'd expect from the teachers who teach there!
Its a shame that some of the kids didn't quite get that it was just an exercise in thinking, processing and expressing their feelings.

I hope noone's heads will roll.

25 Aug 2010 11:30p.m.

Betty wrote:

Have just read the above comments and note that none of them are in support of Ann Tolley or Sue Eade. I could not have put the comments better myself!! How silly of both woman to take such a stance and not see the classroom activity for what it truly was. Shame on you TV3 for taking their side too!! What a waste of man hours phoning every parent, to tell them the letter was fake and how insulting to the intelligent parents who would have actually realised that, before kicking up such a stink to get it broadcast on national television. Poor teachers who now have to go in tomorrow and teach, what will ,be very dull lessons for fear of getting their hands smacked. As our superior Ann Tolley really should have been in support of 'authentic learning'... being that its here department that writes the curriculum in which us teachers plan and teach by. My heart goes out the the poor child who will now be a victim of bullying by her peers!! Otatara is an amazing school and I understand that the BOT would have had to 'suck it up' and admit a wrong doing on national tv (even though it wasn't) but it's a shame they couldn't say what he really thought!

25 Aug 2010 10:28p.m.

John wrote:

Go Otatara Your children are lucky that they get to think critically on authentic issues. Don't stop what your doing because of the pathetic response of a woman who does nothing but dictate and get under peoples skin. I hope whoever was involved on staff feel supported by a community of dedicated teachers and supportive parents who understand best the true essence of learning, and know that this was your intention. Look at the curriculum Anne Tolley. This lesson contained literacy and social studies, oral language and probably more.

25 Aug 2010 10:17p.m.

Alice wrote:

For heaven's sake. This is just annoying. Ms Tolley won't reply to emails with concerns form teachers over National Standards, but she is quick to respond to this?? Another example of where her priorities lie, unfortunately. Many teachers have used this form of activity to promote discussion on topical issues, to foster creative and critical thinking in students and to encourage them to be reflective learners who are able to construct a persuasive argument. I guess this is what we don't want anymore.

25 Aug 2010 10:06p.m.

Nelda wrote:

Anne Tolley should support the letter because the new National Standards programme is a farce and a disservice to our future leaders. It’s widely known globally among academics that politicians (governmental authorities) from time to time intentionally discourage learning in certain subjects like for example in America 25 years ago geo-politics was discouraged from being a mainstream field of study for African Americans for fear of too many government labeled activist/extremist from overturning the then views of the powers that be. Here in NZ in contrast, omitting the Treaty of Waitangi as our founding document and true Maori History told by Maori was as we know purposely omitted from our education curriculum; you only have to listen to the story to hear the flaws Pakeha (reporter and interviewees) say when pronouncing Maori name places. 170 years or 3-5 generations of predominately Pakeha education and still not able to pronounce the Maori language correctly. Do you see the pattern? Maori on the other hand have mastered our language … they are in fact our future leaders.
Point being people National Standards as they stand are producing a generation of dummies, uneducated dependents who will have no real purpose in life than to be told what to do and when to do it. Producing independent thinkers is taken out of the equation.

25 Aug 2010 10:00p.m.

D Willis wrote:

With the students being taught to be creative in their writing,striving to better themselves, who knows... we might have an up and coming future TV 3 reporter amongst them, one who would have been taught from our great teachers to tell the FULL STORY!!

25 Aug 2010 09:51p.m.

Kate wrote:

What a joke... Where does Duncan Garner get off making this a National Standards issue of non compliance? How does he know this school has been slow to implement National Standards? Where did he get that misinformation from? Was this an issue or was it purely a motivational authentic learning exercise? This letter was not sent home, one clearly disturbed, insecure child took it home. I am astounded that any angry parent can actually get through to Mrs Tolley who has been unavailable to anyone speaking clearly and logically. Obviously this parent Sue Eade and Minister Tolley share the same disturbed mental health issue. Otatara school Kia kaha! We are not living in Germany, at least we were not until this Government!