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Charter schools in quake-ravaged Chch 'offensive' – Labour

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Tue, 06 Dec 2011 1:53p.m.

Labour says poor areas targeted for the trial are in the worst-affected quake zones (file pic)

Labour says poor areas targeted for the trial are in the worst-affected quake zones (file pic)

Setting up charter schools in poor, quake-ravaged parts of Christchurch would worsen the huge problems teachers already face, Labour says.

The party's five Christchurch MPs say poor areas targeted for the trial are in the worst-affected quake zones where schools are reeling from roll losses of up to 20 percent.

"Principals are being forced to issue redundancy notices because of cuts to next year's funding, now they're being told they are failing schools held captive by teachers," they said in a joint statement on Thursday.

"That's offensive to those who teach at a decile 1-4 school... there's a whole array of challenges and staff cuts include counsellors who help pupils address all the complex issues presented by growing up in poverty."

The charter school proposal is part of the support agreement National and ACT signed on Monday.

Poorly performing state schools would be taken over by private business organisations, community or iwi groups and charities.

They would then be run like private schools, outside the rules for state run schools, with boards free to decide teaching practices and pay teachers on a performance basis.

They would still be state funded, with input from the private sector.

The support agreement says the trial should start in south Auckland and disadvantaged parts of Christchurch.

Teacher unions fiercely oppose charter schools and a campaign against them has already started.

Prime Minister John Key is defending them, saying they could bring out excellent leadership and results in areas where children are poorly served by state schools.

NZN
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Comments

07 Dec 2011 10:02a.m.

Elizabeth Ataria wrote:

I would welcome an opportunity for a school established along kaupapa Maori ways--after the lip service paid to ex-Aorangi School students regarding bi-lingual programmes in nearby schools.Christchurch is in a position to explore future choices in education across a spectrum of learning needs. Kia kaha

06 Dec 2011 09:57p.m.

Kim wrote:

The people comparing these charter schools to the private school system are deluded at best and outright liars at worst. A private school charges high fees for the services they supply. They get donations from corporates etc etc. If you think these new schools will have any of that advantage you are a fool. (well you might get students wearing advertising) These schools will be profit driven and the pay offered to teachers will ensure they get the worst avaliable. (I hear you scream..but they will be more accountable..so what? that just means they will have a high staff turnover and no continuity of education) Students will be hand held through exams or worse, taught to exams. Problem students will be excluded with the minimum of reasons for doing so. In short..a disaster waiting to happen.

06 Dec 2011 07:17p.m.

Ruby wrote:

One wonders how much freedom the new managers would have. "outside the rules for state run schools" - does this affect what parts of the curriculum the students would be taught? Could they become too focused on physical education over academic success, or perhaps to religion centered, neglecting science because the private people running it believe a certain way. "boards free to decide teaching practices"- Interesting. The way teachers and students interact is a very complex task, even on a normal day-to-day basis, and especially in cases such as bullying, etc. Do these teachers still get all the government support they normally get? "pay teachers on a performance basis."-a VERY complex issue. there is NO way to measure how 'well' a teacher performs, how 'good' they are at their job. People may suggest basing this on students academic success ie test scores but this fails to take into account personality, thoroughness of teaching, work put in outside school hours, speed to return homework and assignments, etc. And about controlling their pay? oh, dear, didn't we just go through a massive lot of drama with the union etc? they deserve better. People say its about choice. true, but choice for who? With our current system everyone gets , at least theoretically, access to the same opportunities in education. Anything that these business etc can do to improve their standard of education can be done in a normal school too. one wonders whether these will be allowed to flout the "not allowed to charge school fees" rule even more than the rest of them........ (excuse the pondering tone....)

06 Dec 2011 06:54p.m.

Sasha Routh wrote:

Here we go again! As if the National Standards wasn't enough of a bad idea here is yet another divisive and no doubt ultimately expensive policy from overseas which NZ ought to know better than to emulate here! We should be supporting ALL our schools and resourcing them better not creating a two tier system.

06 Dec 2011 05:45p.m.

Jonathan wrote:

I want to know how many people in the Act & Labour Parties have actually had any teaching experince. My wife is a teacher and the work load on teachers is getting tougher every year. The teachers and spending less time in the class room and more time out testing.

06 Dec 2011 05:43p.m.

Chandler wrote:

Not quite sure how it's offensive in the slightest. I have NO issue with Charter Schools, as long as it was run by a community group (i.e the parents). More input by the parents, for school hours, choice of what to teach, etc. What's so bloody bad? Labour is a dying trend. This isn't privatising state schools (that would be a PRIVATE SCHOOL) which exist already in New Zealand, and for the most part, work well.

06 Dec 2011 05:26p.m.

Ann wrote:

Mike, I don't mean to knock the schools on this side of town. I am a former student of Aranui High School myself but these charter schools could be a positive move for these schools that don't achieve so well. As for the snobbery thing, yes, I have sent my child to a state high school on the other side of town but the deciding factor for me was NCEA results and I wanted my child to be in an environment where the majority of children are motivated and are passing NCEA.

06 Dec 2011 05:25p.m.

Kez wrote:

No. What is offensive is the education unions dictating Labour Party policy and coming up with absolutely nothing new to help our 1 in 5 young people not even achieving NCEA Level 2. They continue with the same monotonous bleating of more money, more money, more money. They lower the bar so all can pass (only scored on effort) instead of accepting
standards. They are afraid that the public will figure out that the good teachers should be paid more the average teachers
paid less and the crap teachers should be fired! Every other profession has performance based pay, so why are teachers so special? Doctors save lives and their pay is negotiated with the DHB. Let communities decide for themselves what they want, not some education technocrats.

06 Dec 2011 05:18p.m.

Alex wrote:

when literally the only things about a policy are negative, it is perfectly ok to be negative about it. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Charter_School_Performance_Study.svg

06 Dec 2011 05:15p.m.

RAS wrote:

I'm in Christchurch East -I think a trial Charter School would be a great initative as the city rebuilds - I agree Labour and the unions will whinge and mumble but its about the kids and their ability to learn and succeed in the world and if it means that great teachers are well rewarded before they become disenchanted - FANTASTIC! Aranui High School is a terrific school.