Hereworth head defends dismissal

The school claimed Emma Fox, who was due to go on maternity leave at the time, refused the school's attempts to address the issue through the appropriate channels. Photo / Thinkstock

The principal of a private Hawke's Bay school says a former teacher "embarked on an offensive defensive campaign" and led a "moral crusade" after allegedly being asked to lie to parents.

During an Employment Court dispute in Hastings, yesterday, Hereworth School headmaster Ross Scrymgeour gave evidence about the sacking of junior teacher Emma Fox.

Mrs Fox, who was employed at the school from 2008, claims she was unfairly dismissed in 2010 after a string of accusations and disagreements stemming from a disagreement over her students' grades.

Mrs Fox said that in 2009, she was asked by the head of the junior school, Shirley Cameron, to alter students' grades on their 2008 reports to cover up any perceived decline in academic progress since the children left her classroom.

"I have never lied to students and I'm not about to start now," Mrs Fox said.

Hereworth dismissed the accusation and Ms Cameron said she was trying to ensure all teaching staff were following a standardised marking practice.

The school claimed Mrs Fox, who was due to go on maternity leave at the time, refused the school's attempts to address the issue through the appropriate channels. The school's view was upheld by the Employment Relations Authority in a 37-page decision released on February 8, 2013. The argument reached the Employment Court before Chief Judge Graeme Colgan this week.

Yesterday, Mr Scrymgeour said Mrs Fox's actions were a "direct challenge to my management authority" as allegations flew between the two parties, including staff confrontations, confrontational emails and formal complaints to the New Zealand Teachers Council, police and the Privacy Commission.

"Emma was dismissed because of the serious allegations she was making about her colleagues and the school."

However, he described Mrs Fox as a teacher with "high personal integrity who took her professional obligations seriously" but was on a moral crusade to "fix the marking criteria at Hereworth".

He conceded Mrs Fox was asked to review and justify her students' marks by Ms Cameron, when cross-examined by Mrs Fox's lawyer Peter Churchman QC.

Mr Scrymgeour said "progressively Emma stopped respecting and communicating" with senior staff and began sending broadcast emails to members of the school regarding the issue.

Mr Churchman questioned the breakdown of communication between his client and the school, which led to the appropriate channels not being followed.

He said Ms Cameron sent an unprofessional email to Mrs Fox which read: "You've got to be kidding me, Emma!"

"You're heaping all the blame on Emma for this breakdown in communication," Mr Churchman said when asking the headmaster about the emails.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?" Mr Scrymgeour replied.

Mrs Fox's grievances also include the school's appointment of the deputy chairman of the school's board, Doug Abraham, to investigate the dispute and claims a member of the school was instructed to spy on her family home.

The school's counsel is led by Stuart Webster and the case continues today.