Jack Tame: That's life — sometimes it sucks

Anela Pritchard. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Opinion

Oh, to be back in Year 10.

Life was simple. Holidays were plentiful, breakfast was a packet of Twisties and a $2 mixture, and social media didn't really exist.

When I was in Year 10, secondary teachers went on strike. You might remember the pay-and-conditions dispute in the early 2000s when, from a student's perspective, it seemed every few months we'd get several afternoons without classes.

We loved it, of course. But, on one occasion, a group of students from various Christchurch schools decided to have some fun. Under the ludicrous auspices of political action, they texted and arranged to ditch class for an afternoon to protest at having missed so much class.

It was certainly a lesson in irony.

Hundreds of kids stood about and ate fish and chips at a local park. Call me a goodie-two-shoes for staying in class, but I thought it was totally dumb.

I thought the same thing this week upon reading Anela Pritchard's Year 10 speech. Yes, maybe she was encouraged to write something provocative. Yes, the school may have overreacted. But not having been in the classroom when she actually stood up and spoke, one thing's still pretty obvious: even if you imagine her stirring the masses with the gravitas of Churchill or Obama, it wasn't exactly "I Have A Dream".

Her message wasn't nuanced, intellectual nor well argued. Whatever oppression or injustice she perceived is hardly likely to inspire a Salt March. And nor would you expect any different. She's in Year 10. She's 15 years old. It was just a kid whingeing about being at school. Whoop de doo.

An education will teach you that sometimes stuff sucks. I don't always love working, but hey, here we are. In Anela Pritchard's case, it'll also teach you that email and social media are capable of turning molehills into soaring Himalayan Alps. A ridiculous overreaction by everyone? Just a touch.

Today she's moving to Australia, which I'm guessing makes her and Napier Girls' High quite happy indeed.

• Jack Tame is on Newstalk ZB Saturdays, 9am-midday.