By KEVIN TAYLOR
Relations between a school trustee and staff got so bad a panic button was installed in the front office and staff worked behind locked doors.
In a report on Hamilton's 120-pupil Richmond Park School the Education Review Office blamed trustee Shirley Turner for the crisis.
But Mrs Turner denied she had caused it and said she was made a scapegoat.
The entire board, including Mrs Turner, resigned on May 28 and a commissioner, Heather Colby, was appointed to sort out 12 months of strife at the primary school.
Ms Colby said yesterday the school was recovering and was now operating normally.
But the review office found a school in crisis when it was asked to undertake an urgent review in May.
The report on the decile 1 - meaning the most disadvantaged - school found serious governance and management concerns.
"Staff have not felt safe in their working environment and this has inhibited their ability to effectively deliver a quality education," it said.
The report blamed one trustee - unnamed - as being mainly responsible. Mrs Turner acknowledged the ERO meant her.
"Numerous confrontations between the trustee and staff over the professional operation of the school, as well as with those who have attempted to facilitate a resolution of the situation, have had a debilitating effect on all parties."
The report said the board was dysfunctional by the start of this year - mainly because of the trustee. She had sought information on operational issues but management and staff thought her manner confrontational and intimidating.
Mrs Turner's husband, Allen, was a teacher at the school, and the report said that potential conflict of interest worsened the situation.
Staff found her continual presence at the school disturbing and tensions grew. They become so concerned about their security in some areas - such as the front office - that they installed a panic button and worked behind locked doors.
Mrs Turner denied being confrontational or intimidating, adding that the ERO was unfair to blame her. She said the board had been expected to make decisions without a strategic plan and there were concerns at the way principal Jackie Woodland had handled complaints from parents.
Mrs Turner said parents had also been concerned at their children's lack of progress. She said there were problems with Ms Woodland over the role of the board and management and an internal review had been sought to properly define their respective roles.
Ms Woodland refused to comment. The board's last chairwoman, Waikato School Trustees Association chairwoman Margaret Reddick, said the dispute was the worst she had seen at a school.
"I was asked to go in there, which I did in March. The situation could not be saved, so we all resigned on May 28 and asked for a commissioner."
Ms Colby said the ERO would revisit the school in February and if it was satisfied with progress she would discuss with the Ministry of Education new board elections.
Mrs Turner would not seek re-election. "My experience as a trustee has been most unpleasant."
School trustee had staff in fear
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.