Education union tells politicians to stay out of schools until premier apologises over Christmas comments
The Australian Education Union has banned politicians from Tasmanian public schools for the remainder of the year. This follows a dispute over the Premier's criticism of a school's decision to rename a Christmas event.
Why it matters
This highlights growing tensions between educators and political figures regarding the politicization of school curriculum and events.
Comments Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Education Minister Jo Palmer. Image / Pulse (File) The Australian Education Union (AEU) has called for politicians to stay out of Tasmanian public schools for the rest of the school year unless the premier apologises over his handling of a row about Christmas at a Launceston primary school .
The AEU’s elected Tasmanian branch executive, made up of teachers and education support staff, unanimously passed two motions at an “extraordinary meeting” on Wednesday night.
The first calls for politicians and their representatives to be banned from visiting public schools for the remainder of Term 4.
The union said this would allow school communities to focus on “teaching, learning and end-of-year activities without further political disruption”.
The second condemns the handling of the matter by Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Education Minister Jo Palmer and “the distress this has caused members and the school community”.
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