New Zealand Teachers Council Hearings Procedure
Hearings are a part of the monthly meeting of the New Zealand Teachers Council. Up to eleven Council members may be present as well as the Director of the New Zealand Teachers Council and its legal representative.
A teacher who is invited to appear before the New Zealand Teachers Council may bring representatives, support persons, witnesses or advocates. These attendees need to be notified to the New Zealand Teachers Council in advance.
Hearings are recorded and transcript of the recording is typed only if the teacher appeals the New Zealand Teachers Council's decision.
What happens?
The hearing begins with the teacher, or their representative, making brief opening submissions. The New Zealand Teachers Council members then ask the teacher questions, designed to give him or her the opportunity to respond to the concerns the New Zealand Teachers Council members have. At the end, the teacher or representative has an opportunity to make brief closing submissions.
Only New Zealand Teachers Council members have the right to ask questions of the teacher, through the Chair. If the person who made the complaint, or another witness, is present, the teacher's representative may question him or her only with the permission of the Chair.
Hearings take as long as necessary to allow the teacher a fair opportunity to be heard, but generally last about an hour.