Posts by Sacha
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I don't want people to feel persecuted at work for things they say on their own time
Same. It's not like an elected public position. Doesn't mean Peter can't be accountable right here for what he has said.
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Suck my 'roids
New levels of eewww. That's rare talent.
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And ultimately the customer, even of public education, is always right.
Yes - they're not parents and we're not part of learning communities anymore - teachers are client service operators, and our students are merely purchasers of discrete items.
Even in its own terms it's an inadequate position.
"The customer" includes not only the parents but (obviously, you'd think) the student and the whole society and economy that we all have interests in. How to balance those various interests is what different political parties disagree on. And it's not as simple as the current Minister is.
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Yes we knew in May what was going to happen.
A commenter on Red Alert suggested it has already been actioned. Haven't seen that verified anywhere yet.
The advisors got the chop months ago (end of term 2!)- its not a new thing - just another cut they made with stealth - they had to do it earlier because of contract obligations I suspect- its just taken this long to get out.
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Oh, he's that Calder all right. Not sure where that particular outburst came from, but he does a useful restaurant review from time to time.
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My point is that all they seem to do is write cheques with our money and run the Library.
The volume of activities farmed out to Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) is something to look for when the shape of the new Auckland Council is revealed in about a week.
They are designed to be less directly accountable to your elected local representatives, which has pros and cons. In the case of the confirmed Transport CCO, that may mean they are more open to being directed from Wellington about things like the priority of road-building over public transport, even if that clashes with Auckland's long-term land use planning.
However, I should clarify that MAXX is a customer service brand, while transport activities are provided by a mixture of ARTA, the seven local Councils, Ontrack, NZTA and many private sector contractors.
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The Actoids lose out on castrating Councils, it seems.
Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has backed off from law changes to stop councils getting involved in social policies, such as pensioner housing, and force them to focus on core activities.
...Labour's local government spokesman, George Hawkins, was not surprised by Mr Hide's change of heart.
"Common sense says councils play a major role in the community ... This was a case of Rodney diving into a pool without any water in it," said Mr Hawkins, a former Mayor of Papakura.
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Can't be arsed finding whichever thread was about ACC, so here's a good piece from Tapu Misa about Owen Woodhouse's views. Kind of an antidote to poor journalism, though I have no idea why it's filed in their "personal finance" section.
Sir Owen held that as we all benefit from risky activities, we should all bear the cost equally.
"Just as a modern society benefits from productive work of its citizens, so should society accept responsibility for those willing to work but prevented from doing so by physical incapacity. And since we all persist in following community activities which year by year exact a predictable and inevitable price in bodily injury, so should we all share in sustaining those who become the random but statistically necessary victims. The inherent cost of those community purposes should be borne on the basis of equity by the community."
...As for private insurers being able to provide cover for lower premiums than ACC, "I am not merely a sceptic," he said. "It cannot happen."
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The rest of that editorial is appalling 'listen to daddy' bollocks from the headline onwards.
Nobody wants to see New Zealand children fail. The problem is that there is no agreement on what needs to be done to make sure they succeed.
Well, there's agreement among professional educationalists but let's not weight their expertise any higher than talkback trolls, pimply Treasury neolibs or the chattering classes of the provinces, shall we.
Prime Minster John Key and Education Minister Anne Tolley believe it is by concentrating on literacy and numeracy.
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There are sound reasons for their certainty. According to Mr Key, as many as one-in-five pupils are being left behind.Uh huh. And diverting resources into more testing does what to fix that exactly? We already know it's poor Maori and Pasifika boys who are failing. They need extra help, not extra tests. But I'm sure daddy knows best.
Defining success for pupils, schools and teachers in terms that are too narrow would be a mistake, and the Government and its advisers will need to work hard to ensure that does not happen.
Just where the balance point comes is a matter for debate, and it is only when the changes announced by Mr Key have been in place for a reasonable period that a sensible assessment can be made.
There's no 'debate' or 'balance point' to be had when the decision has already been taken. It's lying to suggest otherwise. Good to see the Dom speaking power to truth again.
One couldn't just assess the existing evidence before repeating mistakes already made elsewhere. That would be.. intelligent and grown up. And good stewardship of both public money and the future of our nation's knowledge.
But whatever daddy and his dim helper have lined up must be better for us. They both went to school after all so I'm sure they know everything about it. All there in black and white, innit.
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Welcome, lensboy. You do realise your displayed email address is a little less plumey?