COMPLAINTS AGAINST MINISTRY OF EDUCATION STAFF AND CONTRACTOR
We decided to make formal complaints against Ministry of Education staff and contractor soon after the teacher complaints were sent to the Teaching Council.
In June and July 2023, we sent complaints to the Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted.
We followed up the serious complaints with letters to Hon Jan Tinetti (then Education Minister), as we waited for a response from Secretary for Education.
Nancy Bell, Hautu, Deputy Secretary for Education was asked to respond to our correspondence.
The themes you have raised in your correspondence over the last few months are interlinked, and largely relate to the conduct, or intent of former Ministry staff or contractors.
We wrote to the Chief Ombudsman, Judge Peter Boshier on 9 December 2023, seeking confirmation from him that he had reviewed matters, as referenced in response letter written by Nancy Bell. We included the complaints against Ministry of Education staff and conctractor, the response letter from Nancy Bell and The Use of Physical Restraint and Seclusion in Schools: Legal Issues paper written by Terri Johnstone Ministry of Education Contractor
We wrote to Nancy Bell on the 27 February 2024
We find your response unacceptable and inappropriate considering the nature and gravity of the accusations. We are talking about abuse of children and young people.
LETTER TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION
On the 9 April 2024 we wrote to Hon Erica Stanford – Minister of Education, after receiving a response letter from the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Ministry of Education has fabricated reviews by the Office of the Ombudsman in an attempt to exonerate the actions of Ministry staff.
Nancy Bell, Hautu, Deputy Secretary for Education sent us a new response letter on 1 July 2024. She advised she was rewording parts of her response letter dated 19 October 2023.
The Ombudsman has raised a concern that our letter to you suggested that specific matters in relation to your complaint about Christine Menzies and Murray Roberts were considered by the Ombudsman when they were not.
We wrote a formal complaint against Ministry of Education Hautu, Nancy Bell on 15 August 2024.
Ministerial intervention is required to ensure disabled and neurodivergent students are safe at school, especially those in segregated settings. It is heartbreaking to hear students are still being restrained and secluded in schools and that is still no proper complaints process.
To date, we have had no response from the Minister of Education.
