Anger as Annan back on full pay

By STUART DYE

Controversial school principal Alison Annan has won back her $100,000-a-year salary but will not be allowed through the gates of Cambridge High School to work for it.

The Employment Relations Authority yesterday reinstated Mrs Annan to her old job.

Under the ruling she is banned from actually going to the school, but will collect her salary until a full hearing into her personal grievances next month.

The decision has shocked and angered critics of Mrs Annan in the small community. They say she has been given the second chance she never gave her students.

"It was 'one strike and you're out' under her strict regime, but she's not living by her own standards," said Rosemary Hill, ex-deputy mayor of Cambridge and a former teacher at the school.

"There's a feeling that things have gone horribly wrong when she's using the school's precious monetary resources to support herself, when she always held the public position that the school was her heart and soul."

The controversial principal announced she was standing down a month ago, amid accusations of staff bullying, allegations of financial mismanagement and in the aftermath of a damning report by the Qualifications Authority.

But after she argued before the Employment Relations Authority that she had signalled only an intention to resign, it ruled that she had "an arguable case" for either unjustifiable dismissal or unjustifiable constructive dismissal.

The school maintained that Mrs Annan had resigned and opposed her reinstatement, claiming her return would cause chaos and unrest among the staff.

But authority member Maria Urlich ruled that unless she was reinstated on an interim basis, her reputation would continue to be damaged and she would suffer significant financial harm.

Ms Urlich pointed to the uncertainty over Mrs Annan's superannuation as a key factor in the decision.

Mrs Annan said she was relieved to be back on the payroll and to have her status as principal restored.

She said that although her return to the school in the short term would "simply exacerbate the divisiveness and controversy which surrounded [her] departure and its aftermath", she was determined to get back to full duties.

"I am determined to prove at the full hearing that I should be restored to my full duties as principal of Cambridge High School.

"I believe that the best interests of the school will be served by my return. I am confident that I can work with the commissioner and a new board," she said.

The decision means Mrs Annan is employed by the school's commissioner, Dennis Finn, and is not authorised to return there unless asked to by him.

Mr Finn, who was appointed to the role last week after Education Minister Trevor Mallard dissolved the board, said: "That's not going to happen under any circumstances. As far as the school goes, it's business as usual."

He had no trust in Mrs Annan's ability to manage the school and planned to appeal against the decision. That appeal could be heard as soon as next week.

The day-to-day running of the school will remain in the hands of acting principal Jim Bennett and Mr Finn.

One of Mrs Annan's supporters said she was happy with the decision.

Parent-Teacher Association member Sarah Fine conceded the decision could place a strain on school finances but said Mrs Annan had been put under "an awful amount of pressure" and the reinstatement was fair until the details were sorted out.