I'll defy it if it's harmful – head
BY CHARLES ANDERSON
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Some Nelson schools will refuse to implement the Government's national standards if there is any indication they will be used to create comparative league tables.
Tahunanui School principal Paul Drummond said if he felt the standards were damaging to students, he would refuse to implement them, and that it was possible schools locally and nationally and parents would resist.
The primary teachers' union bus tour calling for the Government to trial the controversial standards in schools arrived in Nelson today.
The tour is travelling nationwide visiting schools and communities and taking its message: "trial national standards, not our kids", along with a public petition.
The assistant secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), Darrell Ward, said teachers were resolute over the matter despite Education Minister Anne Tolley being adamant there would be no trial.
"Teachers are passionate about what they do and they care about what they are involved in. We need to be sure that what is implemented in schools actually will deliver."
The standards, brought in this year, measure every child aged five to 12 at, above, below or well-below national standards in literacy and numeracy.
Mr Ward said the aim of the bus tour was to raise awareness of the issues, encourage debate and gather community support for a trial of the standards.
It will finish on March 31 at Parliament.
This morning the bus was at Nelson Central School.
Parent Rob van Nek, who signed the petition, said he was worried the standards would create an environment where boys would fail even more than they already were.
"It's just getting worse and we are not really doing anything about it. Putting a boy behind a desk for six hours a day is not going to solve anything."
Nelson Central School teacher Carly Ave said the standards meant students would be put in boxes as failures from the age of five. "That is a real problem."
Mrs Tolley said it was time for the NZEI to get off the protest bus and get on board with the standards.
"The vast majority of the 2000 schools involved are quietly getting on with the task of implementing national standards in a calm and professional manner."
The NZEI was involved in developing the standards and more than 11,000 parents and representatives from the education sector were involved in consultation last year, she said.
"National standards are already in place. There will be no trial and the union knows this."
NZEI will hold a public meeting at the AMI Pavilion at Saxton Field at 7.30pm today. Tomorrow the bus tour will visit Waimea Intermediate, Parklands School and Mapua School.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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I think some principals are missing the point. Parents, in a huge majority, want these standards. It is not for any teacher or principal to act on their own. If they do not like it they either work through the system or stand aside for someone who is going to do the job they are asked to do. Like Dave T says - at a minimum let us know who you are so we can support other schools.
Steve - so good of you to read the minds of every voter and sum up their feelings in such a succinct way. You're one heck of a mind-reader.
Perhaps a prolonged period on the Talleys fisheries line is in order, because these teachers aren't upto the job of raising the intellectual skills of todays children if they are scared of competition. Quite frankly, they need to STFU, listen to their bosses (whose mandate was given at the last election) or GTFO
List the schools please so we can remove our children from them and take away our financial and other support from them. I will not support anyone who carries out illegal actions especially when my children are going to be effected. Those who are against standards can move their children to those schools who will not implement them and those who support standards can move their children to a suitable school.
The government was elected because after 3 terms people wanted a change. People did not vote the government in because they wanted national standards.
If you defy a law that has been implemented by a democratically-elected government with a clear mandate, expect consequences.
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So 12% of parents understand the standards and 73% support them. Not the best stats to indicate a vast majority of informed support. I don't think many people would have voted solely based on the National Standards policy either. To defy a law bought in under urgency just before Christmas with minimal consultation with effected parties is probably a justifiable act of civil disobedience. Does everyone realise that these Standards are set at above current average meaning that >50% will be below the Standard? There are just not the resources available to raise achievement for all so the focus will go on the lower middle where the greatest gain for minimum input can be achieved.