Opinion: New Zealand’s biggest and most powerful teacher union, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA), would appear to be on one hell of a collision course with the government.
The coalition has made it pretty clear that in our schools, it’s to be back to basics, head down, bum up sort of stuff. But if the PPTA is aware of the conservative new broom in town, it didn’t seem bothered at its annual conference this week.
It presented papers that must be like the proverbial red rag to this bullish government. I’m wondering if it was deliberate, to draw them into a fight; after-all Associate Education Minister, Act Leader and champion of charter schools David Seymour did just order them to take teacher-only days in their own time.
However, I fear that any sympathy parents might have for the PPTA could also be endangered by what was on the agenda. Most parents of high school aged kids will be concerned about, for example, the curriculum – what’s on it, whether it’s relevant for the world their kids are heading into – how their kids are being assessed and what happens if – when – they don’t meet those standards.
Now, I don’t want to sound like an old-fashioned, bring-back-the-cane reactionary but, as a parent of four – two of them still in school – my first thought was that what the PPTA was discussing this week smacked of political correctness and the desire to offend absolutely no one. Except, maybe, our government.
That said, I think a lot of parents would gasp at the conference papers on the agenda.
Seven pages were dedicated to ensuring the Treaty of Waitangi is front and centre of the union’s constitution and it must only ever be referred to as Te Tiriti O Waitangi. Then there was the idea for Queer Liaison Officers in all schools, followed by concerns about the use of gender-specific position titles.
I appreciate the concerns about what appears to be the marginalisation of Māori and te tiriti; I’ve written about it recently. I also realise that high schools can be brutal places, especially for kids who might not fit the (so-called) norms and we need to be mindful of their needs.
The PPTA say we have a crisis of care within our schools, but if I were to use the term “crisis of care” when I talk with other parents of school-aged kids I reckon they’d think I was talking about reading, writing, math; the fact that our kids don’t seem to be making the grade.
But the PPTA is referring to our kids’ sexuality, and this is where I have an issue. According to data presented by the PPTA, around 16% of our college students identify as being attracted to the same sex but less than 1% present as transgender and even fewer say they are non-binary.
It seems to me that common sense and taking a measured approach has been lost. Nowadays, a tough topic arises and we instantly reach for the panic button. If our kids say they’re attracted to the same sex at, say, age 16, does it make them gay and do we even need to label it? And is it really an issue – a problem – or is it part of navigating life?
The PPTA wants Queer Liaison Counsellors to guide, help, nurture and be that “queer figurehead” that they believe all schools (so obviously) lack. This was in the conference paper on the issue:
To address the challenges faced by Queer Rangatahi, it is essential for schools to have a designated queer liaison person. This person can provide a safe and supportive environment for queer students, helping them to feel valued and accepted. They can also provide guidance and support on a range of issues, including bullying and harassment, coming out, and accessing safe and affirming resources. Schools must prioritise this role and ensure that they have the resources and support they need to be effective. Public facing Queer Liaison roles in schools can assist with creating safe havens for queer students.
So, does that mean current guidance counsellors and school staff can’t do the job because they are not queer and therefore don’t have the same experience(s)? Does that mean only counsellors who identify as queer be hired? Why does the PPTA think only queer people can deal with young people who may be questioning themselves and their sexuality? Does it need a whole industry to be created in response to our kids’ sexuality? Surely current guidance counsellors are trained and stand ready to help? And where are parents in all this? Surely parents have a voice here, too, but they seem to have been pushed to one side.
Look, I appreciate that an increasing number of young people experience anxiety and self-harm; once again, I’ve written about this. Being young is more challenging than it has ever been - but maybe we also need to encourage our kids to see that the sky is not falling in just yet.
There have always been issues in schools, and if we are going to focus on some of the other current ones why aren’t we getting counsellors who are specifically trained to help with, for example, vaping? Obesity? Managing social media? These are also of concern to young people and present real issues in schools.
I come back to the fact that it’s school and our kids appear to be failing in the basics of what they go to school to do: to learn.
While we’re at, I also think we should talk to our kids about ambition – in its various forms – about having hope, about achieving and winning, success and wealth creation. Of course, that can look different to different people and there’s more than one way to achieve, but we shouldn’t be afraid to celebrate those things.
I’ve asked a lot of questions in this column and am wondering if I’m out of touch on this and calling it wrong? But something tells me this is not something our teacher unions should be designing.
