Forget Janet and John - here come Mary and Matt

This really takes the cake. What I'd really like to say is WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS.

This Christchurch School is trying to regulate the way staff speak to and about each other. For instance;

"Matt, we shouldn't really be talking about Mary behind her back." Or: "Matt, I can see you feel strongly about that. You really need to be saying it to Mary."

The obligation to respond extends to a person on the fringe of the conversation. "Come on, guys, Mary's not here. It's not part of the code."

And what do the staff think?

A current staff member said the code was not working and many of the staff regarded it as a joke.

"Every workplace gossips. The serious thing is they have taken away our trust because we are not allowed to talk freely to each other. Our support system is each other."