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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Private school privilege

Why is it, people might be wondering, that New Zealand's private schools received a $35 million 'boost' from the National Government, soon after they took office? Why is it, they might continue to wonder, that private schools were not included in National's national standards reforms and don't have to test and report the way state schools do?
Why is it, do you think, that private schools are able to continue to advertise the educational advantages of lower class sizes, while State schools are told that class size makes no difference and that they will have to have larger classes now, thanks to the latest Budget?
It's very odd.
Someone has pointed out that the children of National Party MPs generally attend private schools, recipients of National's largess, schools that are exempt from the austerity measures of the Budget and exempt from the authoritarian national standards regime.
Those making the suggestions that the National Party MPs putting these measures in place might be doing so because they and their children will not be affected by the cuts and extra pressures, are being accused by the commentators of the Right, of being 'envious'.
I suppose they might be a little. Watching one section of society being treated in a privileged way can be irritating, to say the least.
Hekia Parata's Budget stuff-up, where she's gutted the Intermediate schools in one arrogant stroke of her blue pen, shows how haughtily out of touch National ministers have become and how damaging to New Zealand society their self-serving decisions are.
Back to school, all of them. A State school, that is.

4 comments:

Towack said...

"Watching one section of society being treated in a privileged way can be irritating, to say the least."

I agree, it totally unfair how schools have to put extra time and resources into Maori and Pasifika when there are plenty of other areas within schooling that could be focused on

robertguyton said...

That whare at Aparima College, Towack.
A 'nice-to-have'?

Anonymous said...

RG, nice to see that chip on your shoulder is developing well.

I suppose it wouldn't mean anything to point out politicians from all persuasions send their children to private schools.

Paranormal

robertguyton said...

It would mean something, paranormal, but not in this context where I'm arguing that the National Party MPs that made decisions that favour private schools so blatantly, are compromised by their having children in those schools, to a significant degree. I have no issue with private schools, in essence. Nor do I have a chip. There are no doubt politicians from all parties with children who are at or have attended private schools. So what? Unless you are assigning vast quantities of taxpayer money to those schools, it matters not. But if you are...