A fine step towards adulthood

‘‘A Welcome End to Segregation in Schools’’ was a recent headline.

Upcoming proposals to redress anomalies are evoking outraged alarm from a few principals. ‘Segregation’ is a loaded word.

Education has long been gripped by swings and roundabouts more than any crucial national concern.

Frazer and Beeby in the 1940s set up our ‘free compulsory education for every child no matter rich or poor or where from – aiming to bring out the best of his or her abilities…’ (I paraphrase).

David Lange’s 1980s Tomorrow’s Schools seemed OK but some BOTs drifted to protectionism. A welcome to all kids lost ground.

Choice as a descriptor came to mean protection for my kids (a natural parental wish) but left to itself becomes inherently unjust.

High-fees private schools continue to attract some, taxpayer helped.

Integration came in in the 1970s to allow hundreds of ‘convent’ schools of avowed ‘special character’ to have running costs provided, but with owners having to meet property-ownership costs. (Sadly some ‘elite’ schools have utilised the integration option whilst still on-charging ultrahigh ‘property’ fees. Segregation still?)

Privately-managed but tax-funded Charter Schools boasted Special, Different – not trusting that the messed-up centralised system should be remedied.

Droves of children attend small town/country schools with all-comers catchments and they seem to exit these schools undamaged.

But secondary schooling too easily brings parental fears.

Chatting in lunch break, sitting in the next desk or bus seat, hitting a ball around – with someone whose home is ‘poor’ – I’d have thought is a fine step towards adulthood.

All the best to Chris Hipkins and team.

Shirley Knuckey, New Plymouth