Kerre McIvor: Who could do better?

Hana Turner.

If obeying a few basic rules, going to school, reading, asking questions and asking for help are considered the norm in your house and in the classroom, there's absolutely no reason children shouldn't reach their full potential.

It was disturbing to read this week that a masters student's thesis found a group of maths teachers had few expectations their Maori and Pacific Island students would amount to much.

The study involved 15 maths teachers from five secondary schools in Auckland.

Hana Turner, a blonde, blue-eyed teacher of Ngati Ranginui descent, was shocked at some of the teachers' attitudes and believes they wouldn't have been so forthright if they had thought she was Maori.

Their expectations were highest for Asian students, then Pakeha and Pacifica kids and a long way down the track came Maori.

The teachers believed Maori children's families weren't interested in their education and Maori had criminal tendencies - if they were smart, they'd use their brains to carve a criminal empire.

It's sad there's even one teacher who thinks this, but I find it hard to believe that the view that Maori are low-achievers is prevalent throughout the teaching profession, especially when Turner's study found 20 per cent of Maori students were achieving at above average level.

I would have been interested to know if the students had been asked what their own expectations were and what the responses were to that.

I don't believe teachers' attitudes are representative of this one very small group, but it's a reminder every child has potential and stereotypes are stupid.

Speaking of which, the Herald published a photo to illustrate a survey of the nation's primary schools the same week Turner's study made the front page. It was a huge photo spread of four gorgeous kids in school uniform - every one of them fair-skinned.

We live in one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world and that's the photograph chosen? Brown kids don't go to school? I guess that's how stereotypes are perpetuated.