No no no! Academics (and BBC Soccer commentators) are protected to speak truth to power!!!

Backlash as academics warned to remain ‘politically neutral’ ahead of general election

The boss of the country’s mega polytech has told all staff – including academics – they are “public servants” and must remain politically neutral ahead of this year’s general election.

The apparent muzzling order from Te Pūkenga chief executive Peter Winder has prompted a swift backlash, as academic freedom has protection under law.

In a statement sent to thousands of staff, Winder said: “As a Crown entity, Te Pūkenga and all of our people are public servants.

“That means we have obligations of confidentiality, neutrality and separating our personal views from professional roles.”

No no no! Academics (and BBC Soccer commentators) are protected to speak truth to power!!!

We need more academics commentating on policy, Academics are completely different to Government appointees, we need and demand our academics engage with the debate!

On top of this gag order, Te Pūkenga has an Orwellian list of woke words that are now cancelled…

Te Pūkenga tells academics not to say words like ‘staff’, ‘students’ or ‘Treaty of Waitangi’

The row over academic freedom at Te Pūkenga – the country’s largest tertiary provider – has rumbled on after it emerged staff have been issued with a list of words they should and should not use.

The 30-page internal “style guide” was published in February, two months after Peter Winder became chief executive, to ensure its “written and verbal communication is uniform” and “in line with Te Pūkenga values and reflects the needs of our priority audiences”.

Under the guidelines, the words “student” and “trainee” are discouraged, the “preferred terms” being “ākonga” (student) or “learners”.

…ugh.

Apolitical and woke AF.

What a bland, brittle and shallow education factory.

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