Schools need more help with pupil behaviour

WHEN are our Ministry of Education bureaucrats going to lose their ‘‘head in the sand’’ mentality about the serious issues facing many of our schools with escalating complex student behaviour issues?

I refer to the comments made by Ministry of Education sector enablement and support deputy secretary, Katrina Casey, (ODT, 7.11.18) in reference to OtagoSouthland school disciplinary actions data, that ‘‘ . . . the number of disciplinary actions handed down by schools should not be used as a

‘proxy measure’ for total student behaviour’’ and ‘‘It’s important to note that standdowns, suspensions, exclusions and expulsions are measures of a school’s reaction to the behaviour.’’

Surely, this is obvious but is certainly missing the point that more support is required, starting with an actual acknowledgement that many schools are confronting behaviour management issues well beyond their capability and beyond that which programmes such as the often quoted PB4L, bullying prevention guidance and guidelines for physical restraint provide.

Do MOE officials not realise how insulting and damaging to morale this sort of stock ‘‘blame the school’’ response is to the many dedicated teaching professionals who are dealing with these complex societal issues on a daily basis at the chalkface?

Pub bookies

John Downes

Mornington AT 3PM, after having a few ales at my local, Heff’s — the pub with no pods — I walked 450m to South Dunedin TAB. On arrival, I counted eight punters in both TAB and pokie rooms, three terminal operators and two redundant TAB pods. I returned to Heff’s to find a sizeable growing crowd, gathering to enjoy entertainment and watch the cup. It’s beyond me why TABs have pods when they have operators. If TABs won’t put pods in pubs and clubs where they would be used, maybe we should bring back the pub bookies. Warren McCallion

South Dunedin

Mad, mad world

THE world’s gone mad. On the one hand, we have Tony Quinn, who has pumped millions of dollars into the Central Otago economy, being pilloried by the IRD and

Immigration NZ for the heinous offence of spending one more day in New Zealand than permitted.

On the other hand, we have an overstaying, convicted drug dealer, who, on his release from prison, has been given the right by our Government to remain in New Zealand for 365 days a year.

Peter Spiller

Christchurch

Grass verges

A RECENT report that Dunedin city had received an award for its good looks and general beautification sounds exaggerated and definitely not true.

The city council contracts various contractors to mow the grass verges for the elderly and people with disabilities who cannot manage to operate a mower.

My experience, like others, is to often complain to the city council to get the grass cut because it has grown far too long. When a contractor mows he doesn’t cut the grass short enough and just leaves the clippings piled up in the middle of the lawn to rot.

Now, I am obliged, like others in my street, to contract and pay for my own lawn cutting service in order to get a decent job done so that my street looks tidy. Asking the council for a slight reduction in rates for doing its work falls on deaf ears.

C’mon council, get your act together. Peter Neville

St Kilda