Internally standing down high school students at New Zealand state schools
M.R.M. made this Official Information request to Ministry of Education
Response to this request is long overdue. By law Ministry of Education should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.
From: M.R.M.
Dear Ministry of Education,
A state high school has on its www portal "Absence" page a list of "descriptions" that teachers and Senior Leadership Team members can use to indicate the reason for a student's absence from a class. Included in the list is a reason described as "student has been internally stood down (ie, removed from class but still at school)". Next to the word "description" it is stated "based on Ministry of Education rules." In order words, it is being purported by the school concerned that the Ministry of Education has "rules" that authorize and empower its teachers and Senior Leadership Team members to internally stand down students as a form of punishment.
Please provide me - under urgency - with a copy or copies of the abovestated "rule" that is "based on Ministry of Education rules", and which is allowing the state high school concerned to punish students by "internally" standing them down.
The reason for the urgency is that I need the requested information to enable me to raise a serious, repeated, victimisation complaint with the HRC. With the end of the school year close by, it is imperative that this happen sooner rather than later.
It goes without saying that I need a straightforward, honest and succinct response to this information request. Simply put, if there is no Ministry of Education rule in place that empowers and and authorises state high schools to internally stand down students, then I need you to state this in a clear and decisive way.
Thank you in advance.
Yours faithfully,
M.R.M.
From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
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te Mātauranga. Ministry of Education.
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tō īmēra. as possible.
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From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
Kia ora,
Thank you for your request for information below. The Ministry will
consider and respond to your request in accordance with the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of
our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any
case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is
received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your
request on or before the 24/11/2023. If more than 20 working days are
needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in
answering your request, we will notify you accordingly.
The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your
request five days after you have received it. Any personal information
will be removed.
In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email
[1][email address].
Ngā mihi,
Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of
Education | SW
[2]education.govt.nz
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
[3]Te TD huhu o te MD tauranga
show quoted sections
From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
Kia ora
Thank you for your email of 28 October 2023 to the Ministry of Education
(the Ministry) requesting the following information:
Please provide me - under urgency - with a copy or copies of the
abovestated "rule" that is "based on Ministry of Education rules", and
which is allowing the state high school concerned to punish students by
"internally" standing them down.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act).
In response to your request to provide a copy or copies of the Ministry of
Education's "rules" that provide for state schools "internally standing
down" students; we are refusing your request under section 18(e) of the
Act, as the information requested does not exist.
Please see the Ministry’s guidance on stand-downs, suspensions, exclusions
and expulsions at the following link:
[1]https://www.education.govt.nz/school/man...
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to
review my decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the
Act. You can do this by writing to [2][email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Ngâ mihi
Enquiries National Team | Ministry of Education | IB
8 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington
[3]education.govt.nz
He mea târai e mâtou te mâtauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ôna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[4][IMG]
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