It does seem incredible that Bartlett could ignore teachers concerns, even promise to listen then change his mind and refuse to compromise yet again.

His incompetence in people skills is glaringly obvious, how did he get to where he is?

Bartlett has a ginormous ego and he has acute selective hearing along with selective memory loss…as he can never remember where the line in the sand was drawn. GOOD LUCK TO THE TEACHERS.

What angers me is that he understood exactly why Paula’s despotic implementation and refusal to listen to teachers at the chalkface with ELs, led to her downfall, yet knowing that, he made precisely the same error.

TT was entirely John Smyth’s idea and Bartlett bought it as a pre-ordained package, just like Paula did with ELs, thinking it would enhance his rise to power, then did a pseudo, dishonest but well spun brief consultation, knew there would be opposition, but believed he could ride it out but it’s all gone pear (Bartlett pear) shaped but he is far too arrogant to admit a mistake and it would be highly expensive both financially and human resource wise to dismantle it now. It would take new legislation and the removal of 3 highly paid and contracted CEOs and another giant upheaval of staff and students.

What is equally amazing is that this “new” system is exactly the same as the one we got rid of several decades ago because it was elitist, narrowing of the curriculum and not conducive to nurturing average and below average students through tertiary education.

As a parent I support the fact that David Bartlett is at least trying to improve student retention rates. I can understand the teachers union are only concerned with the benefits of teachers but it appears that some teachers are more aligned to the union than the future of our kids. Teachers need to remember why they origionaly took up a career in teaching and move away from this bully union behaviour. The current teaching methods have given us the lowest retention rates in Australia. A change is needed.

G Burrow is so wrong - Does G Burrow work in the Premier’s department?

I have often wondered, in the course of the last 2 years or so, since David Bartlett became Education Minister - who is actually responsible for the shemozzle that is Tasmania Tomorrow? David Bartlett of course is our elected representative and deserves to be punished in the next election. But let us not forgot the quiet but powerful presence of John Smyth in all of this. A seemingly unapologetic adherent to the Chaos theory of management, Mr Smyth seems untouchable. He does not have to face re-election but shouldn’t he also take his fair share of blame?

So kind.
So clever
So connected!!

Annie is absolutely correct about Smyth. TT was entirely his concoction based on his knowledge of Ireland (his home country) and Singapore, both of which have entirely different cultures and economies from ours. It was presented to the union as a fait accompli at the end of 2007 with no choices given except to do a bit of cosmetic fiddling round the edges. There was absolutely no prior consultation and the wheels of its implementation were in progress well before the union or staff were informed of it. Smyth, just like the bureaucrats who fed ELs to Paula, will not lose his well paid job or his status in the DoE. He did very similar things in TAFE when he was CEO there - you only need to ask longtime TAFE teachers what they think of his methods.
As I said on another thread, this “new” system is almost exactly what was thrown out in the 80s (ie Matric colleges and Institutes of Technology) because it was perceived to be elitist, narrowing and inequitable for students - NB students, NOT teachers
Teachers are, quite properly, interested in their own conditions but they are also equally interested in the students’ conditions because that helps them do a better job.