Mike Williams: Dumb to send kids to distant schools

5:30 AM Sunday Feb 24, 2013

Our schools, whatever decile, are pretty much of a muchness. Photo / Michael Craig

As a long-time director of Transit, I took it upon myself to understand the drivers in the traffic congestion that bedevils Auckland.

What jumped out was the fact that there was no congestion during school holidays. The behaviour of parents who eschew their local school to send their kids to a more distant one is widespread and leads to loss of productivity, pollution and - to stretch the bow - an increase in obesity.

I always went to the closest state school as a kid, and my kids and grandchildren did and do the same. We've all got tertiary qualifications or are headed in that direction. Our schools, whatever decile, are pretty much of a muchness.

By trekking across town twice a day, any conceivable benefits are negated by a longer day, none of your schoolmates living close by, less exercise, and rootlessness. This behaviour is just plain dumb.

- Herald on Sunday

Westie Bryan (Glen Eden) | 11:49AM Sunday, 24 Feb 2013

Well put. We walked or cycled to our nearest schools in Onehunga as a child. There was no advantage in doing otherwise. I notice during school holidays that journeys that take me 20 minutes at certain times of the day drop to 7 minutes during school holidays. I also noted, when working as a sales rep, that when bus drivers went on strike the traffic freed up and journey times were much shorter. So what is the answer. Do we eliminate buses, ban travel to out of zone schools. There are a lot of little causes that all add up to a choked transport problem in Auckland.

Kiwi Rambler (England) | 11:49AM Sunday, 24 Feb 2013

Professor John Hattie's research is clear 80% comes form the home. Add that to the cost of your child being more tired, you bringing the extra tension with the commute to the family and any advantages which according to the research are negligible are quickly negated.

One of the best things you can do is support your local school, do mother help, join the PTA or BOT, help at the gala or coach a sports team. When parents do this these simple acts it says to their child that their school is a worthwhile place and that education is important. Funny then how this converts into higher educational achievement for their children.

So if you want your children to do better, ditch the commute and use that energy to get in behind your local school. Simple really.

Go Man Go (Waikato) | 11:49AM Sunday, 24 Feb 2013

Could agree more