Reflections on Free Speech and Public Discourse
Silencing dissonant voices only leads to more and stronger dissonant voices and further radicalisation.
Social issues
education
Support Tax Fairness Reform
The Tax Justice Network has started a campaign to gain support for taxing capital as income to support and improve our public services. If you would like to support the campaign, you can sign the petition here or donate here. All funds donated will go to the campaign advertising.
David Seymour can’t handle criticism
ACT MP David Seymour has lashed out on Facebook at Dianne Khan apparently for successfully fact checking him.
Drug testing at music festivals
Police Minister Stuart Nash has said publicly that he wants to see all New Zealand music festivals to have drug testing kits by next summer.
Labour’s education reforms
The Government has released a discussion paper proposing radical change to our education system, including the establishment of regional hubs to improve cooperation between schools and provisions to strengthen the proposition that kids should attend their local well resources and well run school.
My civics – the New Zealand civil war
While looking at a missing post on Briefing Papers, I ran across some material on deficiencies in our current education regime looking at our civil war in the 19th century. So I wrote this post about why I personally think that it matters.
How Patriarchy Works; A Newshub Special Investigation
A schoolgirl correctly identified exactly what caused the stink at Carterton South school. Why wasn’t she listened to?
We are failing kids from poor families
Kirsty Johnston has produced an in-depth analysis of the current rate of young people from poor backgrounds entering professional ranks. And the news is not good.
VSM – why it needs to go.
In 2010 the ACT Party with the help of National managed to pass a piece of legislation that damaged student democracy, and blatantly […]
Reason #73 why charter schools are wrong: they teach creationism
Newsroom has reported on claims that Villa Education Trust, which opened up National’s conference singing Hallelujah, has taught creationism in science classes as a preferred theory of evolution.
There’s nothing vague about National’s education policy announcement *
* according to Simon Bridges.
Bridges and his cheerleaders
National is pulling out all stops to suggest that Simon Bridges is not so bad as a leader.
The teachers’ strike
Teachers have indicated they will also be seeking a significant catch up in salaries and job conditions after a decade of neglect.
The problem with Charter Schools
The Government is moving to stop the creation of new charter schools and require existing charter schools to integrate with the public system.
Doofus of the week Anniversary Weekend edition – Damien Grant
Damien Grant wins the latest award for penning a column where he claims that University education is a great folly of modern life, contributes surprisingly little to our economic well-being and does not prepare graduates for work.
National’s Standards
It’s great to see Chris Hipkins abolishing ‘National Standards’ as a matter of priority. This policy was nothing but an unfortunate bit of populism […]
National Standards causes decline in educational levels
The latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study results suggests that National Standards has been a failure.
First year of study free launched by Prime Minister Ardern
Jacinda Ardern has formally launched the Government’s free tertiary education policy.
Teachers will be dancing in the streets at the latest Education announcement
Chris Hipkins has announced that significant changes will be made to testing regimes for Primary and Secondary schools.
Free Education – how to pay for it
I am a New Zealander living in Norway lecturing at NTNU, Norway’s largest University. For the last few months I have been thinking about the challenges of providing free post-secondary education. Norway offers free education for all students including international students.
The mess that the new government inherits
This post is too long to read. Its purpose is to serve as reference material, a “one stop” snapshot of where we are as a country. The mess that the new government inherits. The consequences of the nine long wasted years of National. The magnitude of the challenge ahead of us.
The education mess
The complete mess that National has made of our health system got plenty of airtime during the election campaign. While it received less coverage, the education system is a mess too.
Green Party announces a better deal for students
“Students are the only group in society expected to borrow just to get by. We believe that students should be supported so that they can focus on learning the skills they need to contribute to a smart, innovative economy and a fairer society”
Labour announce affordable tertiary education
As the Nats stand exposed in another apparent dirty politics hit, Labour gets on with the job of winning the election. Jacinda Ardern today announced new policy: Making tertiary education and training affordable for all.
Nats double down on failed national standards policy
The centerpiece of National’s campaign launch was an education package that doubles down on the demonstrably failed national standards policy. Out of ideas.
Labour’s School Leavers’ Toolkit
“Labour’s School Leavers’ Toolkit will help students learn to drive, understand practical budgeting, be equipped with workplace skills, and learn how our political system operates through civics education at school. Every secondary school will be resourced to provide these courses.”
Tax cuts or fix this…
Auckland City Councilor Richard Hills yesterday tweeted some of the things we would like to see fixed before a tax cut. You might want to add to the list. Good thing Labour is promising to cancel the cuts and spend billions more on health and education.
National reckon public health and education are a waste of money?
According to Morning Report the Nats are calling Labour’s budget for more spending on health and education “a plan to waste more money”. Tell it to the people who can’t afford private alternatives and depend on the public systems.
Labour oppose visa scams – Nats would rather have the quick bucks
Labour is right to stress the many advantages that immigration brings to NZ, and right to address the major way in which it is being abused – student visa scams. Bill English has made National’s position clear, they would rather have the quick bucks.
Nats propose centrally planned economy
Not even joking.
Parata fleeing education mess
Parata can believe whatever brings her comfort of course, but the fact is that this National government has made, as usual, a mess of education.
“Dumbing down a generation”
An excellent piece by Simon Collins in the weekend Herald. NZ’s educational scores in international comparisons are locked in a downward spiral. National’s ideology has failed, while we ignore successful models.
Nat branch chair calls for “corporal punishment”
Bill English should have spoken out to dissociate his party from Price’s archaic views. Why hasn’t he?
Call to teach consent in schools
Yesterday evening saw a well attended rally at Parliament to protest rape culture in NZ, and call for the teaching of consent in schools.
Free speech vs hate speech
Auckland Uni is in a difficult position – a classic dilemma with two important principles at stake.
Two big policy fails
This is what you get with a hasty, reactive, “top down” policy process.