Courier-Mail opinion piece by our spokesman Ian MacDonald

The broad case against our failing governing body by someone who knows from deep experience. 

Full text of the article:

THE PMSA Council has a culture more akin to a dictatorial fiefdom than 21st century governance where accountability and transparency are expected. With few checks and balances, the PMSA has been mired in controversy for generations and its outdated and flawed governance structure has reared its head again in the latest fiasco engulfing one of our finest schools, Somerville House. The PMSA was formed almost 100 years ago under a letters patent from the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches (now Uniting and Presbyterian Churches — even the name is an anachronism) to run their esteemed private schools. The Council of 15 is supposed to have six Presbyterian Church appointees and six Uniting Church appointees. The remaining three are appointed at the discretion of the 12 church appointees. The method of church appointment has traditionally been as a reward for faithful church service. The immediate past chair was a police inspector and the current incumbent an architect. There are currently no members with any formal teaching expertise, which is extraordinary in a board governing schools. Protesters take to the street outside Somerville House last month. File picture The lack of school experience shows regularly in the lack of judgment and over-reliance on legal, communications and educational consultants engaged by the PMSA. In the latest debacle, the PMSA summarily removed Somerville’s principal Flo Kearney who, by the PMSA’s own admission, did nothing wrong. The PMSA’s actions showed its incapacity to work collaboratively with strong, competent, popular and effective school leaders. Leaders who might dare to challenge! The PMSA’s first communications advice to “say nothing” failed dismally. The next consultant’s advice was to “get out there” but the spin-doctoring also failed. But their latest communique in the battle to regain hearts and minds, by presenting the PMSA councillors as innocent well-meaning victims of the enemies of the PMSA is pure fiction. As John wrote: “Only the truth will set you free.” The removal of staff in a manner that is publicly perceived as unjust — and the PMSA’s incapacity to articulate to anyone any justification for the action — cuts to their credibility as a faith-based ministry of the Churches who claim the Gospel value of justice. Next, the appointment of the current PMSA COO, Rick Hiley, is an example of the poor judgment and lack of transparency which riled the independent councillors at Somerville House and led to their resignations. Without even addressing the “bathhouse behaviours”, the PMSA in-house recruitment process created a field of two — the final appointee and the then incumbent, who was clearly not preferred. Why have a process at all?

Again, the belief by some PMSA councillors that the PMSA is in fact a corporation and the school principals are really just “departmental heads” is delusional. This notion reveals a complete lack of understanding of independent and faith-based schools in this country. When parents enrol what is most precious to them in these schools, at great expense and sacrifice, they commit to a trust relationship. They rightfully expect the best leadership. The PMSA has shifted from being an asset to the schools’ futures to being a liability. There is no place for well-meaning amateurism in the governance of these multimillion-dollar enterprises. The damage done to the schools’ reputations by the PMSA mishandling is yet to be revealed. But the anecdotal talk is that parents are looking at their options. The evaporation of waiting lists and empty seats to begin the 2018 school year will tell the tale — perhaps too late. The task to find a new principal for Somerville and senior staff in all PMSA schools is handicapped by the fact that the PMSA is “on the nose”, according to talk among principals. Sadly, there is a relatively small pool of experienced school leaders who can effectively lead such large and complex organisations — the talent pool is small even without the PMSA odour. The popular solution to the current crisis where thousands of parents have lost confidence in the PMSA governance is to return the schools to the churches by dissolving the PMSA, described by many as a “totally unnecessary tier of governance”. The Churches could then, as almost everywhere else in Australia, create school councils to carry on the governance of these precious schools in an authentic, transparent and accountable way, befitting their great traditions. Ian McDonald is an experienced principal and educator with more than 30 years in school leadership. He resigned last month as an independent councillor for Somerville House.