Comments on: Stupid zoning policies

By: geoffm

geoffm — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:19:57 +0000

Our local school is Selwyn College – in the news recently for it’s ongoing dismal performance in the core business of education. Unfortunalty, the only option is Selwyn or private schools – there is no other alternative. The closest other school (Glendowie) is out of zone, and is at bursting point and not taking any more. Unlike the 30% or so of parents in our area who opt to go private, we don’t have that choice, having already paid for education via taxes.
The worst part is that Selwyn has 25% spare capacity and no zoning restrictions- because no one wants to send their kids there. What does that tell you? The community which it is supposed to serve does not have a say in the school at all – only thise who go there are able to have a say, and by definition, they agree with the school direction.
Still, might have moved to Australia as an economic refugee before it becomes a problem anyway.

By: geoffm

geoffm — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:38:15 +0000

By: libertyscott

libertyscott — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:36:01 +0000

What’s wrong with choice, or rather, how many children does the state have to sacrifice at underperforming schools “waiting” for the education to be at a mythical uniform best standard?

If funding followed pupils the incentive to react to underperforming teachers and other staff would be enormous – schools would find that one day they don’t have enough pupils to be viable and would go under, with other schools taking over.

It’s an incredible system this, it ensures that nobody starves and everyone is clothed – it’s called freedom, and the main opponents are the teachers’ unions who think that their profession is so “special” that nobody can judge them on their performance.

By: Walsingham

Walsingham — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:47:08 +0000

Island Bay Primary School should instead be asked if they will takeover the running of the worst-performing adjacent primary school, in the hope that whatever they’ve done for themselves, they can do for the other school. This principle should be used throughout the urban areas; Let “Centres of Excellence” expand to swallow their neighbours. It’s really just like opening a new campus.

By: tight seal

tight seal — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:57:02 +0000

Is it true (as was overheard at the Chocolate Fish) David that your Alma Mater is so popular precisely because of your earlier attendance – or is it that you could not possibly comment on such matters!

By: llew

llew — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:42:25 +0000

“The school was preforming well, had great teachers, high parent participation and a steady role. Probably why the fucking socialists wanted it shut.”

Which is why very few teachers, once a mainstay, will be voting labour next election (or last).

By: side show bob

side show bob — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 02:22:08 +0000

Don’t know what you are all moaning about, the Ministry of Education shrank our school our of existence. The school was preforming well, had great teachers, high parent participation and a steady role. Probably why the fucking socialists wanted it shut. While my kids like their new school the standard of education is not as good with more emphasis on the looney ideals that are the bread and butter of the left.

By: DavidW

DavidW — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 01:55:56 +0000

And on that theme gd, Bradford’s suggested PM Bill to lower the voting age , if drawn and passed, would really give fertile ground to the teacher’s union and the education curriculum to promote ideas sympathetic to the left.

By: gd

gd — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:01:52 +0000

Nothing will change until as others have said we treat education like any other product and apply the same disciplines The fact is unless a teacher is a convicted axe murderer there is no way the bloody teachers Union will allow them to be sacked. The Union have dumbed down the level to the extent that we have teachers who cant read write or add up and these morons are teaching children. Break the Union control set the schools up to compete for students and watch the standard rise. Otherwise be prepared for dumb dumb and dumber kids.

By: brian_smaller

brian_smaller — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:29:59 +0000

Brian S – in fact at school I was probably the skinniest kid in existence. So your assumptions are wrong.

I was too David. But there must have been a genetic predisposition there someehere. Certainly was the case with me.

By: David Farrar

David Farrar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:28:14 +0000

Brian S – in fact at school I was probably the skinniest kid in existence. So your assumptions are wrong.

By: welly_girl

welly_girl — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:36:07 +0000

I understand why zoning has been put in place but I am not a fan of it. It often means that parents are forced to place their children in schools they do not desire, often because they can not afford to live in the zone for the “better schools”.

Most people who know know that I intend to send my children to private schools. I can live where I want and not have to worry about zoning … but waiting lists are almost as bad, and even worse that some public schools are also using a waiting list system.

By: DavidW

DavidW — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:07:08 +0000

Furniture is easily moved and most classrooms are prefabs so why not move the “spare capacity” to the school where it is needed?

But does that reduce the size of the “donor school” and thus the ranking of the headmaster etc? Tough shit. It could be the thin end of the performance pay wedge.

By: SInner

SInner — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:07:01 +0000

but all children should expect to get the same standard of education, ie the best possible.

Only if you're a communist!

the sooner politics gets out of good education the better.

Right. And there is only one way to do that. Simply abolish the ministry of education, incorporate every school as a business with the principal as CEO and board as, well, board - vest them their property and let them get on with the job.

In this case, well Island Bay school can simply charge more than Beramphore school. Nuff said.

By: brian_smaller

brian_smaller — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:06:44 +0000

And if I remember correctly, when there was no zoning, the groups that mostly moved their kids from their local schools to “better” schools were Maori and PIs. They voted with their feet.

DPF said
“but tuckshop supervisor,”

No offence David, but that would explain a lot.

By: Mike Readman

Mike Readman — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:17:16 +0000

The Eucation Ministry is proposing to actually reduce the zone of the school. Here's a press release: http://www.act.org.nz/time_for_education_ministry_to_butt_out

By: Mike Readman

Mike Readman — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:09:01 +0000

So what’s National’s policy? Or do they have one?

By: frederico

frederico — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:18:16 +0000

John,

agree totally. I think we are fundamentally at cross purposes and that is part of the problem. I went to a state school but i worked personally to a very high standard and had a handful of good teachers, my father in law (who I adore) went to avondale college, and is now highly successful. Small case studies I know, but the sooner politics gets out of good education the better. I think we have to acknowledge that there is a crisis in eduction and deal with it in a cross partisan fashion. If the left dont realise this …then its money for jam for the centre right….not that Im complaining

By: Rumpole

Rumpole — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:14:29 +0000

JOhn D

Not often I agree with you but perhaps a first step would be to apply those principles to the Dept of Education and its Minister – judge by results only with the judges – parents and employers.

By: John Dalley

John Dalley — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:16:04 +0000

frederico.
Wasn’t suggesting it would be easy, but all children should expect to get the same standard of education, ie the best possible.
i am not specifically against zoning as my daughter went through Avondale Collage at the time Phil Raffels was principal, but zoning does not help all schools.
Phil expected all of his charges to succeed and worked towards that. His type of attitude is what is needed from all Principals, Teachers, etc.