Let’s not stereotype students

The negative comments on “unpopular”, unfamiliar text in NCEA English externals perpetuate a stereotyping of low decile students which is becoming more widespread. In 2014, in my Year 12 English class at a decile one South Auckland secondary school, 18 of 20 students passed level two unfamiliar text — a 90 per cent pass rate. This was not just down to me but to the teachers who taught them on the way up and even more importantly to the students’ own ability to read, listen and learn and tackle difficult tasks with the positive attitude and high expectations that I have found typical of South Auckland Pacific, Maori and migrant young people.

Auckland’s future is safer with them than with those who you report as more likely to succeed.

Peter Beyer, Sandringham.