Teachers/parents preparing for action on charter schools
Parents, teachers and educationalists from early childhood to tertiary commit to organising action against National/Act
policies around education (public meeting at Kelston community centre - 21st August, West Auckland, initiated by NZEI
primary school teachers union). Commodification, profit and privatisation is the govt agenda. Our mission is to defend
and promote New Zealand's successful public education system.
John Key and National's education policies are already alienating their own voters.
Before the last election, polls showed around 50 per cent of women supported National, but that is down to 39 per cent.
The 1000 interviews done as part of the poll often returned to education (Not enough money being put into education,
class sizes, ECE gone backwards) and asset sales as reasons why Key has the country on the wrong track (Fairfax Ipsos
poll published Sunday Star July 2012)."
The following resolution was unanimously passed by the meeting.
Resolution To Meeting
WE: Parents, teachers, educationalists from early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary and community commit to
actively defend our quality public education system in NZ.
Charter schools, Government early childhood cuts, tertiary cuts, student loans, National Standards, performance pay,
league tables and Private Public Partnerships (PPP’s) are part of a philosophy that is failing children and their
communities throughout the world.
These policies simply promote privilege and division. We commit to campaign for the principles of equality of
opportunity in New Zealand, the very principles that have made us world leaders in educational achievement.
We believe this Government is more interested in profit and privatisation than promoting and extending our proven
educational success. Together we are standing up for real quality through an accessible, appropriately funded, public
education system.
ENDS