13 Nov 2024

Seymour warns teachers about maintaining political neturality

From Checkpoint, 4:08 pm on 13 November 2024

The minister in charge of curbing truancy is concerned students are "missing out on valuable learning time" by joining a march to parliament in protest at his controverisal Treaty Principles Bill. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti set off from Cape Reinga on Monday and moved through Auckland today, with thousands marching over the Harbour Bridge and onto Bastion point. Along the way hundreds of school aged children have joined the march, some in their uniforms, during school hours. Several schools are marking it as a 'justifed absence' and say students are being educated in voicing their opinions. Last month it was revealed a staggering 80,000 students were MIA for more than three weeks of term two this year, with ERO saying it's a crisis. Today, Associate Education Minister David Seymour has also warned teachers about maintaining political neutrality. President of the Secondary Principals Association Vaughan Couillault spoke to Lisa Owen.