22 April 2013
Charter Schools Will Provide Opportunities to Teach Discrimination
The ACT party’s proposed charter schools will open the door to religious groups to teach Kiwi kids discriminatory
practices, including that same sex marriage is wrong.
‘Just as New Zealanders are celebrating the latest legislation change that brings an end to discrimination against
same-sex couples having the right to be legally married, we are opening up a whole new opportunity for discriminatory
practices to flourish,’ says President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, Philip Harding.
There would be nothing to stop any group setting up a charter school and teaching Kiwi kids that discriminatory
practices are to be valued and that evolutionary theories of science are wrong.
‘Interest in charter schools from religious groups has been significant,’ said Harding, ‘and the religious beliefs they
follow are inconsistent with the values of wider New Zealand society,’ he said.
‘There has never been any evidence that the New Zealand tax payer is crying out for another choice of school and no
political party, including John Banks’ ACT party, promoted such policy during the last election campaign,’ said Harding.
ENDS