Bugger the Bill of Rights – Tolley has got to empower school heads to flush out drugs and weapons

So who runs our bloody schools these days?

Oh, yes. The kids.

Alf’s perturbation at the extent to which the brats have taken over is reinforced by a report in the Dom-Post this morning.

The Education Ministry is advising principals of the ludicrous prospect of pupils taking schools to court if they are searched for weapons or drugs.

The privacy commissioner plays a role in this story (surprise, surprise). She is saying pupils should not be searched unless consent has been given.

Alf was astonished to learn this post was not abolished during the Government’s assault on wasteful public expenditure.

School closing plans are given a fail mark

Alf encountered a great number of delighted constituents at the weekend, many of them almost revelling.

Their rejoicing was prompted by news of the Education Ministry’s community education reviews facing the prospect of an overhaul after the process collapsed in Tararua.

Just as Alf was hoping a few weeks back, the school reviews went sour in the Tararua district because the community did not support the recommendations.

The process has ended in tears, with seven members of a community-appointed working group withdrawing their school closures plan and quitting last week – the first test (an obvious failure) of the ministry’s new process.