FSU Defends Teacher Under Investigation for Comment

DTNZ

A primary school teacher has found herself at the centre of a controversy after expressing her opinion on social media, raising concerns about the balance between free speech and professional conduct.

The teacher, whose identity has been withheld, posted a comment on a Facebook video by New Zealand First, in which she criticised the New Zealand Teaching Council for submitting on behalf of all teachers in opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill. In her post, the teacher expressed frustration with what she called the “indoctrination” within the education sector and questioned the increasing emphasis on Māori culture in schools, stating that all students deserve to be treated equally.

Her comments sparked outrage from a member of the public, who reported the teacher to the Teaching Council, alleging a breach of the code of conduct, specifically the principle of “manaakitanga” – fostering a welcoming, caring, and creative learning environment. The complainant demanded that the teacher undergo an “unteach racism” programme.

The Free Speech Union (FSU) has since come to the teacher’s defense.

In a letter to the Teaching Council, the FSU argued that the complaint was vexatious and aimed solely at punishing the teacher for her personal opinions rather than raising genuine concerns about her professional competence.

According to the FSU, teachers do not forfeit their civil liberties, including freedom of speech, upon entering the profession. They argue that the Teaching Council has no jurisdiction over personal Facebook comments made in a private capacity. The FSU further noted an alarming trend of individuals scouring social media to find opinions they disagree with, particularly when those opinions come from professionals in regulated fields.

The union called for the complaint to be dismissed, asserting that pursuing it would set a dangerous precedent that infringes on fundamental democratic rights: the complaint had no bearing on the teacher’s ability to perform her duties and it represented an unjustified attempt to silence dissenting views.

The Teaching Council has yet to announce whether it will pursue an investigation, but the case has already sparked a broader debate about freedom of expression and professional accountability within the education sector.

This article was originally published by the Daily Telegraph New Zealand.