Thanks Nick. For many years as a teacher and principal education has been used as a political football. Labour has always supported teachers and schools and our unions. Labour MPs have been educationally grounded and have used data and research to formulate policies for all. Under National we have seen bulk funding, National Standards and Charter schools which have not been successful. The whole purpose of interfering with education is to break up the unions, and create individual pay bargaining. The next steps from the Nacts will be the introduction of a rehash of National Standard and create performance pay to those teachers who have the highest success rate. The teaching profession has many talented, well qualified teachers who care about their tamariki and give their best day after day.
Marilyn, my experience under National as a teacher was limited new resources and cutting school journals to 6per 36 pupils. As a Deputy Principal I saw contested research, always aimed to promote Right wing thinking. The points system to gain resources meant under National the points value would not be changed with the CPI, and often was even cut. Austerity is their go to for the Public sector, and lucrative contracts and appointments for their own and the Private sector funded by taxes. The arms length take no responsibility model.
Great piece Nick. Given the massive promotion of Charter Schools in a number of countries I wonder if there is a special squad in the Atlas Network with responsibility for taking the state out of education, (apart from siphoning taxpayer dollars into the pockets of their ‘biznose’ mates? Seymour seems to hate teacher unions as much as he hates indigenous rights - obstacles in the way of his sponsors…
Union busting is disgusting. Have no doubt this is David Seymour's aim when he talks about the schools being free of "union interference". I thought anyone could join a union - it's called Freedom of Association and union members have the right to bargain for a collective agreement. I hope that if these schools happen, the teacher and other unions have a huge organising pushback. I will volunteer! There will also be a big community backlash when someone (who knows who or how?) tries to change State Schools into Charter Schools. As parents, we have fundraised, done the working bees, helped our schools become community hubs, paid taxes for them to be built and the teachers paid better and even served on BoTs. Some of us have organised the other workers in schools, like the cleaners and caretakers, so will they be employed on whatever without union "interference" like their union agreements, which are hardly generous, but took years of work. These schools belong to us, not you David Seymour.
Fourth form. Yes, that difficult year. No longer shiny new impressionable third formers but not committed, hard-working fifth formers facing that dreaded first state exam School Certificate. The results of which will pretty much dictate your future income and job status.
Bored fourth formers. I can't remember much about fourth form. I didn't make the class photo, must have been wagging. Up until our form reunion a few years ago I couldn't remember the name of my form teacher, a particularly forgettable, bland, uninteresting chap. A lay teacher in a school run by Marists.
A type of charter school. In those days catholic schools were outside the normal education system. Regarded as private schools where parents paid. However the normal state exam system was used.
No dental clinics or swimming pools though. We had to go to the state school down the road for the Murder House. Interesting in those more sectarian days.
"Schools of special character" we were. We had school milk though.
Did those schools work in those times? Yes, they did. They had their failures and their shining stars of course but most kids thrived.
Yes. I don't doubt bad things happened in some of those schools. But not all by any means. Back in those times bad things happened in all types of schools, particularly physical punishment. Pretty rough at times. But legal.
I think there is a place for schools of special character. Some communities should be allowed to teach their own children as long as the children are not acedemically handicapped by the school's particular special character.
But not schools driven by profit, never.
Again we have an education associate minister or whatever he is who is not a trained teacher and, even worse in my eyes, has never raised a child. Yet he is telling us how to educate our kids but at a profit.
Nothing to add Nick you have said it all. Can only reflect the fact that in the 1960s and 1970s teachers came here from around the world to study our Education system and teaching methods. How times have changed since the mid 1980s.
Thank you Nick that was a tough read, and has made me even more angry and frustrated with this neoliberal government. The USA, which Seymour loves so much (I wish he would just go and live there!), from it's inception has been about money. Those that have it and those that do not. Keeping the Old World system alive. Whereas, other countries have moved on to having a good public persona, and choosing what should be part of a civil society, ie, public schools, public transport, public health and so on. The idea that education is for everyone is part of this rhetoric. One that Seymour himself was part of growing up in New Zealand. Hiring back teachers as consultants is such a WASTE OF MONEY! Why don't they just help the schools we already have? Each day there is a new low.
"Each day there is a new low". Yep. Perfectly succinct, Alison. All I can say in response is this: I'm starting to hate seeing any media photos of Seymour, with his mad-dog-smirk, his cheap suits and garish ties..in fact today I found myself imagining a bullet hole between his eyes.
A big concern I have with these schools, other than the issues you address Nick, is that kids with different or diverse needs will be again marginalized and isolated from their peers.... after the years of hard work over decades to reintegration these kids into their peer groups, which benefits everyone. Kids learn to accept people of all kinds and to also be accepted by society and their peer group wothout fear or judgements. What next.....will Drunkle Winnie set up a charter school for trans and intersex kids to ensure their isolation from society and to stomp on inclusivity and diversity? Absolutely. Just watch......
To say that the monkeys are in charge of the zoo is to insult the intelligence of monkey. But it is certainly an analogy that comes to mind when describing the present government.
Students have no rights under charter schools either, as i understand it. State schools, under the Edñucation Act, are obliged to follow certain processes and proceedures when caring for their students, charter schools do not. For example, if a student is having trouble settling into school and is acting out, there are certain processes schools have to follow, not so charter schools, they can just biff them out of school and drag in another compliant student. There is no requirement for the Charter school to find alternative education for the acting out teenager. Also who takes students with extra needs? State schools are required to do this if the student is within zone. Charter schools? Doubt it. This was how it was last time, suspect it will be the same this time
YES Nick, very much the "Vulture Capitalist" structure. The best part is that WE, every single voter, voted them into power.The Left AND the Right voters, all together, are fully responsible for putting this Govt into power, no one else did it, we did! The Left voters are as much to blame as the Right. Our system is faulty, does not provide anything for the people, has no interest in people, we have all been hi-jacked by the partnership between State and Capitalist business interests. As long as we play their game we will dance to their tune. I know you and I, and others, did not vote Right, but we follow the game plan of "Vulture Capitalism" expecting the "system" to provide some sort of intelligent management when that very same "system" is bound up by protocols and rules that are self interested and a continuation of the continued class struggle Ruling Class vs Working Class = Left and Right politics! Nothing to do with people and our needs, all about business and state interaction, and money.
When I saw Seymour apologising to the great apostle Tamaki, I was horrified. Why is this Demolition Coalition pandering to religious fanatics and conspiracy theorists? And does it mean that Luxon approves of this nonsense, or is so hamstrung by the terrible deal he signed up to that he is completely immobilised? Or both? Either way, there is big trouble ahead.
Yes, Jill, there is "big trouble ahead'... and the sooner it starts the better, so we can get these Fascist Neoliberal assholes, in their cheap suits and garish ties, out of our faces...
I wonder if the likes of Gloriavale will qualify as a charter school - thereby garnering even further taxpayer funded subsidies while supporting the ongoing enslavement and denial of a decent education particularly for the girls.
Thanks Nick. For many years as a teacher and principal education has been used as a political football. Labour has always supported teachers and schools and our unions. Labour MPs have been educationally grounded and have used data and research to formulate policies for all. Under National we have seen bulk funding, National Standards and Charter schools which have not been successful. The whole purpose of interfering with education is to break up the unions, and create individual pay bargaining. The next steps from the Nacts will be the introduction of a rehash of National Standard and create performance pay to those teachers who have the highest success rate. The teaching profession has many talented, well qualified teachers who care about their tamariki and give their best day after day.
Marilyn, my experience under National as a teacher was limited new resources and cutting school journals to 6per 36 pupils. As a Deputy Principal I saw contested research, always aimed to promote Right wing thinking. The points system to gain resources meant under National the points value would not be changed with the CPI, and often was even cut. Austerity is their go to for the Public sector, and lucrative contracts and appointments for their own and the Private sector funded by taxes. The arms length take no responsibility model.
Great piece Nick. Given the massive promotion of Charter Schools in a number of countries I wonder if there is a special squad in the Atlas Network with responsibility for taking the state out of education, (apart from siphoning taxpayer dollars into the pockets of their ‘biznose’ mates? Seymour seems to hate teacher unions as much as he hates indigenous rights - obstacles in the way of his sponsors…
Union busting is disgusting. Have no doubt this is David Seymour's aim when he talks about the schools being free of "union interference". I thought anyone could join a union - it's called Freedom of Association and union members have the right to bargain for a collective agreement. I hope that if these schools happen, the teacher and other unions have a huge organising pushback. I will volunteer! There will also be a big community backlash when someone (who knows who or how?) tries to change State Schools into Charter Schools. As parents, we have fundraised, done the working bees, helped our schools become community hubs, paid taxes for them to be built and the teachers paid better and even served on BoTs. Some of us have organised the other workers in schools, like the cleaners and caretakers, so will they be employed on whatever without union "interference" like their union agreements, which are hardly generous, but took years of work. These schools belong to us, not you David Seymour.
Fourth form. Yes, that difficult year. No longer shiny new impressionable third formers but not committed, hard-working fifth formers facing that dreaded first state exam School Certificate. The results of which will pretty much dictate your future income and job status.
Bored fourth formers. I can't remember much about fourth form. I didn't make the class photo, must have been wagging. Up until our form reunion a few years ago I couldn't remember the name of my form teacher, a particularly forgettable, bland, uninteresting chap. A lay teacher in a school run by Marists.
A type of charter school. In those days catholic schools were outside the normal education system. Regarded as private schools where parents paid. However the normal state exam system was used.
No dental clinics or swimming pools though. We had to go to the state school down the road for the Murder House. Interesting in those more sectarian days.
"Schools of special character" we were. We had school milk though.
Did those schools work in those times? Yes, they did. They had their failures and their shining stars of course but most kids thrived.
Yes. I don't doubt bad things happened in some of those schools. But not all by any means. Back in those times bad things happened in all types of schools, particularly physical punishment. Pretty rough at times. But legal.
I think there is a place for schools of special character. Some communities should be allowed to teach their own children as long as the children are not acedemically handicapped by the school's particular special character.
But not schools driven by profit, never.
Again we have an education associate minister or whatever he is who is not a trained teacher and, even worse in my eyes, has never raised a child. Yet he is telling us how to educate our kids but at a profit.
Your last paragraph is particularly pertinent.
I cannot add anything to your excellent piece .
Nothing to add Nick you have said it all. Can only reflect the fact that in the 1960s and 1970s teachers came here from around the world to study our Education system and teaching methods. How times have changed since the mid 1980s.
Thank you Nick that was a tough read, and has made me even more angry and frustrated with this neoliberal government. The USA, which Seymour loves so much (I wish he would just go and live there!), from it's inception has been about money. Those that have it and those that do not. Keeping the Old World system alive. Whereas, other countries have moved on to having a good public persona, and choosing what should be part of a civil society, ie, public schools, public transport, public health and so on. The idea that education is for everyone is part of this rhetoric. One that Seymour himself was part of growing up in New Zealand. Hiring back teachers as consultants is such a WASTE OF MONEY! Why don't they just help the schools we already have? Each day there is a new low.
"Each day there is a new low". Yep. Perfectly succinct, Alison. All I can say in response is this: I'm starting to hate seeing any media photos of Seymour, with his mad-dog-smirk, his cheap suits and garish ties..in fact today I found myself imagining a bullet hole between his eyes.
I’m waiting for Maori tipuna to get him, looks like they sent him a sign when he crashed his scooter and nearly hit a car!
They’ll get him next time hopefully!
A big concern I have with these schools, other than the issues you address Nick, is that kids with different or diverse needs will be again marginalized and isolated from their peers.... after the years of hard work over decades to reintegration these kids into their peer groups, which benefits everyone. Kids learn to accept people of all kinds and to also be accepted by society and their peer group wothout fear or judgements. What next.....will Drunkle Winnie set up a charter school for trans and intersex kids to ensure their isolation from society and to stomp on inclusivity and diversity? Absolutely. Just watch......
Aaaaaaaaaaagh! Every day something new to be angry and concerned about.
To say that the monkeys are in charge of the zoo is to insult the intelligence of monkey. But it is certainly an analogy that comes to mind when describing the present government.
Thanks!
Schools out
Destiny schools are in
FFS!
Students have no rights under charter schools either, as i understand it. State schools, under the Edñucation Act, are obliged to follow certain processes and proceedures when caring for their students, charter schools do not. For example, if a student is having trouble settling into school and is acting out, there are certain processes schools have to follow, not so charter schools, they can just biff them out of school and drag in another compliant student. There is no requirement for the Charter school to find alternative education for the acting out teenager. Also who takes students with extra needs? State schools are required to do this if the student is within zone. Charter schools? Doubt it. This was how it was last time, suspect it will be the same this time
YES Nick, very much the "Vulture Capitalist" structure. The best part is that WE, every single voter, voted them into power.The Left AND the Right voters, all together, are fully responsible for putting this Govt into power, no one else did it, we did! The Left voters are as much to blame as the Right. Our system is faulty, does not provide anything for the people, has no interest in people, we have all been hi-jacked by the partnership between State and Capitalist business interests. As long as we play their game we will dance to their tune. I know you and I, and others, did not vote Right, but we follow the game plan of "Vulture Capitalism" expecting the "system" to provide some sort of intelligent management when that very same "system" is bound up by protocols and rules that are self interested and a continuation of the continued class struggle Ruling Class vs Working Class = Left and Right politics! Nothing to do with people and our needs, all about business and state interaction, and money.
When I saw Seymour apologising to the great apostle Tamaki, I was horrified. Why is this Demolition Coalition pandering to religious fanatics and conspiracy theorists? And does it mean that Luxon approves of this nonsense, or is so hamstrung by the terrible deal he signed up to that he is completely immobilised? Or both? Either way, there is big trouble ahead.
Yes, Jill, there is "big trouble ahead'... and the sooner it starts the better, so we can get these Fascist Neoliberal assholes, in their cheap suits and garish ties, out of our faces...
I wonder if the likes of Gloriavale will qualify as a charter school - thereby garnering even further taxpayer funded subsidies while supporting the ongoing enslavement and denial of a decent education particularly for the girls.
OMG the video is definitely worth watching! What a shame that Act voters can't see it. Well said Nick. Times are extremely worrying.