Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Cunliffe calling it wrong already

My gut feeling is the public supports charter schools. That's because they need no persuading  public schools are failing a good percentage of pupils. That's not to say the teachers in particular are at fault; the curriculum; the parents or the pupils themselves. It'll be a combination of all of these factors in different measures.

But there can be little doubt that an alternative approach must be worth a go. At this stage it's only 5 schools, a few hundred pupils. I hope desperately that those given the contracts will give it their very best.

After hearing Larry Williams interviewing the PPTA vice president tonight (a must-listen) and then listening to the outraged, contemptuous reactions to her bombarding Larry's in-box I am further convinced people want this policy to get a fair go.

It's no surprise that the Greens are threatening to undo it at first opportunity. But Cunliffe is also saying he would exclude charter schools because they are "barking mad".

To echo Mr Cunliffe's expression, that "sucks". It's a bad call. It's negative. It's anti-opportunity and anti-working class (to use Labour's descriptor) families that have previously had no option but same old state offering.

That old Strawbs song just popped into my head, "You don't get me I'm part of the Union".

No, I don't get you.

(Hat-tip to Cam Slater for supplying the link)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

18icifemsIt was an interesting interview - the PPTA are not even going to debate the merits because it has a patch to protect and that comes first. A an organisation they don't really care about children although some individuals within the union will do.

The teacher unions don't want charter schools. Cunners is owned by the unions therefore Cunners doesn't want charter schools.

The NZ Greens are just lunatics who want us living in caves hunting vegetables.

3:16

Anonymous said...

Because children are failing is it logical to believe Charter Schools will solve this problem? Please explain Lindsay why you believe this will change anyrhing to improve educational outcomes?