Erica Stanford Shows Her True Colours
Recently Labour education spokesperson Ginny Andersen published a very interesting document on Facebook. This document reveals exactly how much influence Stanford has had on the removal of Māori and Pasifika references from the new curriculum documents.
This could be construed as showing the clear influence of Professor Elizabeth Rata, who, as we know, has a stated goal of ‘recolonising’ New Zealand, to undo all the work that has gone in over the past 50 years to address the inequities to Māori resulting from the the colonisation of this land. Behind that, of course, is the stated aim of the Atlas Network, to maintain the white Eurocentric, preferably Anglo-Saxon, domination of the world.
Here is Ginny Andersen’s post on this, including the screenshot of the ‘smoking gun.’
‘Buckle up for another shocker.
If you are wondering why Māori and Pacific students don’t see themselves in the school curriculum it’s because the Minister literally erased them. She crossed them out with her pen.
Official documents show Erica Stanford personally struck out the words “ākonga Māori, Pacific students and those with learning needs” from the curriculum design principles. They weren’t rewritten. They weren’t updated. They were just crossed out by her.
The same documents show references to Te Tiriti o Waitangi disappeared from an approved version of the curriculum principles. Former curriculum writer Dr Claire Coleman says this matches what officials were being directed to do: remove references to te reo Māori and Te Tiriti from curriculum documents.
The Minister can spin this however she likes, but the documents speak for themselves. When Māori, Pacific and students with learning needs are literally crossed out of the curriculum, it says everything about this Government’s priorities.
Every child deserves to see their identity, culture and place in Aotearoa reflected in what they learn.’
Brie Elliott has added her comments on this:
‘People keep asking why this matters.
Because these weren’t anonymous edits.
According to the reporting and the released documents, these handwritten annotations were Erica Stanford’s.
When you look at the pages, you’re looking at ministerial edits to the curriculum draft.
One of the things that has drawn attention is that references to Māori and Pacific learners were crossed out.
Elsewhere, the draft’s wording about what New Zealand should “deem important” in education is marked up.
These aren’t spelling corrections. They’re edits to the content and emphasis of the curriculum itself.
That’s why describing the changes as “negligible” has been so controversial.
Don’t take my word for it.
Read the documents. Read the reporting. Then decide for yourself whether these look like negligible changes.
Erica needs to go.’
But Erica isn’t standing alone on this. She is part of the team that is destroying the inclusive society in this country. The ongoing racism is out there for everyone to see. Seymour and Peters are very obvious, but I’d suggest the one we really need to watch is Paul Goldsmith, as much of the necessary legislation is coming from him.
When the distinguished former National Party Minister of Treaty Settlements, Chris Finlayson, is speaking very loudly and clearly about his objections to, and concerns about, the ongoing racism of this government, and that the current National Party has little in common with the party he joined and worked for, we should be very very concerned.
When will you open your eyes to the reality of this government?
I put a critical comment in here earlier today. It basically said where not an inclusive society and some counter factuals about teachers and our education system. Now their gone. That’s the second time that’s happened on this blog. And both times the same author. So much for open discussion. And that’s the type of teacher I was talking about. Far more concerned with reputation, status and control than the needs of the children. Let’s see how long this comment last
Well that certainly says it all. A list of those who don’t matter – “Takings Māori, Pacific students and those with learning needs”. However, “She is part of the team that is destroying the inclusive society in this country” is nonsense. We don’t have an inclusive society. Just look at our privatised Alternative Education system, run by a greedy, well-heeled charitable industrial complex. They kick them out sixteen promptly, can steal their credits with impunity and effectively treat them like shit. And the Teaching Council agree and refuse to hold them to account. Don’t believe me? Google “wtf wrong with the teaching council po” and see what comes back. Now I realise Stanford’s reforms won’t help that, but until they can be held to account, especially for bullying, some will find it hard to have sympathy for what is a professionalised unaccountable elite.
In the end does it really matter, if these same Maori and Pasifika kids find well paid work and a career they thrive in?
I teach at a tertiary institute and they insist in putting Maori knowledge in a technical course. Of course it does not happen, you just tick the box. But has it been demonstrated to improve Maori success rates one iota? Of course not.
Regardless many Maori and Pasifika do complete their qualificaiton and go on to get good engineering jobs.
Perhaps we should go the Pacific Islands to get advice on how to educate Polynesian kids instead of relying on white liberal tropes. You will find kids from the islands do far better than Polynesian kids raised here in New Zealand. And the stories I have heard of discipline will make the hairs on your neck stand up —but in the end if they get good jobs and become productive members of society why should anyone complain?
I have 3 kids at primary and 2 at secondary and the emphasis on all things Maori is so all-pervasive it is like my kids have been forcibly enrolled in some kind of Te Pati Maori youth wing – even if this was scaled back massively there is still very little chance that Maori culture will be under-represented in schools.
Not only Maori and Pacific children will be ignored and written off. Children with learning difficulties which could be fixed with a bit of effort, will also be sacrificed to suit her ego. She’s a dictator and she needs to be stopped. She cannot ignore almost half the children in this country.
You might need to look up the meaning of dictator.
Thank you Ginny Anderson for your interesting comments on the lengths Erica Stanford has gone to, in order to “cross out” Maori and Pacifica references from the new curriculum documents! Racism, is totally unchristian-like behaviour showing how money, greed and power are now the root causes of the problems facing NZ and its people. We were basically a great bunch of ‘givers’ until the greedy, with their incessant need for more and more wealth, took over, driven by Seymour’s Atlas whose wish is to maintain the white Eurocentric/Anglo-Saxon domination of the world, and egged on by Peters and Goldsmith – the one with the dead eyes! Money doesn’t bring happiness, but ‘Giving’ does! How so many out there now can’t see past their grasping greed is sad but now a common denominator in our sick, smug, racist society. Don’t miss the fact that ex National Minister of Treaty Settlements, Chris Finlayson, can barely recognise this current National party since they are so very different from when he joined. Shouldn’t that scare RW voters?
Hysterical nonsense Mr Bradbury. Please explain why reference to “all New Zealand children” isn’t enough. If we have to be told (some of) what “all” includes what about all those types of not children not listed – which, by the way, in the original draft didn’t even include the non-Maori non-PI majority. It’s time you opened your eyes and found something worth complaining about.
Maybe you should open your eyes and your brain. I wrote the article, not Martyn Bradbury, and the piece you referenced was written by Ginny Andersen. The old saying “None so blind as those who will not see” would seem to have been to describe people like you.
Well said Allan and I have read many of your excellent articles on education as for Wiremu people like him (and there is many) talk through a hole in their arrrrse
Is that right Bill?