Wrongly sacked Rangiora High principal Peggy Burrows will not push for reinstatement

Peggy Burrows will not push for reinstatement at Rangiora High School, from which she was unfairly dismissed. Photo / Supplied

Former Rangiora High School principal Peggy Burrows who was wrongfully sacked from her job will not appeal a decision rejecting her request for reinstatement.

Burrows was awarded $150,000 last week for her unfair dismissal, which came about after a long-running stoush between her and her board of trustees.

Burrows was initially suspended over allegations she breached a gagging order by leaking board documents to the media.

Following the decision by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) determination released late last week upholding her claim of unjustified dismissal, Burrows said she was "relieved".

However the authority rejected her request for reinstatement as Principal at Rangiora High School, a position she had held successfully for 13 years.  

"While it was a difficult decision to make I remain resolute that the students and the school must always come first," Burrows said.

"Further action would only prolong the uncertainty for the school and that is not in the best interests of the students I care so passionately about.

"I only ever wanted the best for Rangiora High and now it's up to others to protect the school's assets and do right by the students and staff."

She said it was a bittersweet moment when she was told she had achieved such an emphatic win in the ERA for unjustified dismissal, but that she could not return to the school to which she has devoted so much of her professional life.  

Peggy Burrows plans to complete her PhD and then establish an Educational and Leadership consultancy.