Code of Conduct

Boards are required as part of their “good employer” obligations (S77A (3)) to:

“ensure that all employees maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct, and concern for:

(a)        The public interest; and

(b)        The well-being of students attending the institution.”

A number of boards have had to consider this question as they come to terms with the police vetting process and establishing guidelines on what is acceptable behaviour and standards within the school.  This can cover employees, students, and even board members should you choose.

Although she has not done so, the chief executive of the Ministry of Education “may from time to time issue a code of conduct covering the minimum standards of integrity and conduct that are to apply in the Education service” and may also issue separate codes of conduct to apply to different parts of the education service.

This is similar to the provision which exists in the public service, where a code of conduct has been issued by the SSC for all public servants, which contain guiding principles.  In addition all government departments issue a separate code to cover their specific circumstances and in some cases issue additional requirements for standards of behaviour and ethics that apply.

The States Services Commissioner also has the ability to issue codes for the education sector but has not done so at present.

The Teachers Council has in addition issued a Code of Ethics for the teaching profession which is more "aspirational" than prescriptive.

Just because an education code of conduct does not exist, this does not prevent a board from prescribing “standards of integrity or conduct that are to apply to that employer's employees” and in fact if you follow the intent of the good employer provisions you are basically required to have one in order to ensure that your employees know what “standards of integrity, conduct, and concern…” apply.

A process for developing the code could involve the code of conduct framework (acknowledgement to many and several sources on this) and a draft code of conduct template which may look like this.