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Monday, June 23, 2025

Elizabeth Rata: Letter to the Minister of Education

Sent 22nd June 2025

Hon Erica Stanford
Minister of Education
Parliament Buildings
Wellington

Dear Ms Stanford

I write to ask if you would re-consider the inclusion of Section 9 and Section 127 in the Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 2) 2025 on the basis that they are not relevant to the regulation of the education system. (See the Coalition Agreement’s statement about Treaty relevance.)

Sections 9 and 127 are not relevant because:

  1. The education system should be regulated according to its secular (i.e. neutral) character.
  2. Ethnic identity education does not lead to the achievement required for equitable outcomes.
  3. A knowledge-rich subject curriculum is derived from, and accountable to, disciplinary (i.e. scientific) knowledge and methods, not to the belief systems in Section 127.

I respectfully suggest that a Supplementary Order Paper be used to ensure that the Bill honours the Coalition Agreement.

Sincerely
Elizabeth Rata

Professor Elizabeth Rata is a sociologist of education in the School of Critical Studies, Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland where she is Director of the Knowledge in Education Research Unit (KERU).

19 comments:

Janine said...

Probably a bit of a power struggle here between commonsense and ideology. It will be interesting to see what Stanford opts for.....not holding my breathe on this one.

anonymous said...

If the Te Ao ideology clause is not removed, NZ's Ed system is sunk forever. Stanford is very woke.

Anonymous said...

Let's get to the core of this right now. If Minister Stanford does not summarily remove Sects 9 and 127 and all the associated mumbo jumbo from the Act then she herself must be summarily dismissed. Thanks to Elizabeth for spelling out the blindingly obvious, her letter reflects exactly what I said in my submission, none of the rubbish is relevant.

Anonymous said...

Surely ACT and NZ First will vote against this.

Anonymous said...

I honestly don't know why Stanford is in the National Party. She belongs with Labour.

glan011 said...

Stanford is clearly blindly woke.... and weak... and fully indoctrinated and incapable of critical thinking, so not holding my breath.....

CXH said...

Anon @ 11.34 : along with Luxon.

Peter said...

And "equitable outcomes for Maori students" is an unachievable aspiration and has no business being a legislated "objective" supporting the "paramount objective of students attaining their highest possible standard of educational achievement." It's a nonsense when schooling, and its attendance there at, is so variable, not to mention the importance of yet vastly different levels of support given within the home environments of those students - and nevermind even all that being equal it can still result in markedly different outcomes even between siblings. For such to have been formally proposed, much less uttered, reflects a very poor understanding of reality and the warped ideology at play. It's no wonder our education system is in such a parlous state.

So thank you, Professor, in attempting to instil some common sense, which is so patently lacking in our MoE, and in both present and previous Govts. It's past time the swamp was drained!

Anonymous said...

Why is this even an issue in a supposedly democratic Western country ?

anonymous said...

Because that status for NZ is seriously in doubt today.

Anonymous said...

The concept of equitable outcomes is a Marxist construct and a correct interpretation of the Treaty would be to give equality of opportunity to all students, not that the Treaty has any relevance whatsoever to education in New Zealand or anywhere else. Basically the bill needs to have the bogus, fabricated 'Treaty' elements ripped out as Elizabeth says, they are not relevant - what is the point of the NZF/National Coalition agreement to deal with this when the references are allowed to remain in something so important as removing indoctrination from our education system?

anonymous said...

As this actual process has been taken over by National - Potaka and Goldsmith, ambiguity will remain.

mudbayripper said...

Fortunately, I also have written to Ms Stanford regarding these same concerns.
I'm sure she will see sense and attend to these issues forthwith.
Yeah right.

glan011 said...

Don't hold yer breath!!

Anonymous said...

I would appreciate someone explaining what is meant by “equatable outcome”.
To me it denotes an impossible ideological Marxism which has never to achieved in any liberal democracy.
In fact it is antithetical to the notion of democracy and capitalism which are based on merit and equality of opportunity.

Anonymous said...

True 'equitable outcomes" is impossible to achieve, no matter the ideology. There are so many variables. One wonders what Ms Stanford is thinking and who she is taking advice from

Gaynor said...

Maori used to be doing considerably better academically , even excelling , up to the middle of last century when we had an education system that wasn't loaded up with ideology. Everyone from all stratas of society were doing much better than now . We in NZ were the envy of the world with eg the best scores in literacy on international tests. Now our literacy scores are the worst in the English speaking world.
Disaster began when academia was given control in about 1950 and took over, converting schooling into a psycho-socio experiment , using schools as a vehicle to promote socialism even Marxism with woke and other agendas.Anything but genuine traditional education as we knew it.
Nothing short of an educational revolution by parents and others with a genuine concern for our children's future will alter this vile trajectory. The academic elites , aided by Teacher unions , the Ministry of Ed. and ALL other established educational institutions are the villains here . I don't think Erica has the ability to fight this formidable foe .

Anonymous said...

Some excellent observations. Academia is no longer what it was........ what it has become is really quite frightening: it used to mean intelligence. Thank goodness we still have some such people left who still fall into that category

Anonymous said...

Stanford says she is proud of this treaty inclusion in the Education bill, - she has surrounded herself with Maori advisory groups and she is going against coalition promises to reduce references to the Treaty. Referring to the Treaty has no relevance whatsoever to education. Also it’s time the new, totally biased History syllabus was reformed. It does students, Maori and Pakeha, no favours.