What began in March has now stretched into winter but veteran educator and NZEI Te Riu Roa member Jo Patrick remains unfazed. Every fortnight after school hours, she continues to take a stand against the Government’s fast-tracked education reforms with a musical protest outside Education Minister Erica Stanford’s Browns Bay office.
Playing the protest anthem “We Shall Overcome” on a recorder, Jo plans to keep up her demonstration until the November election.
“I have a message for the Minister: put the interests of our tamariki before politics, and stop undervaluing educators,” says Jo, who has been a teacher for more than 40 years.
“On top of implementing a new English curriculum and adapting to three new maths curricula within a very short timeframe, teachers are also having to change the way they report to parents. This is too much rushed change in too short a time. I am seeing and hearing of teachers stressed by all of this to-ing and fro-ing at the whim of the Minister.”
Jo also hopes to highlight the massive unmet need for learning support in schools.
“We have many neurodiverse tamariki who need the support of teacher aides or learning assistants to access education. Funding levels are inadequate, leaving families and schools to carry an unsustainable burden,” says Jo.
“I am saddened by what is happening in education, and I want to raise public awareness. I am taking a stand even if I am alone. A few teachers have already messaged to say they want to join me; they are out buying recorders.
“We were blindsided by these curriculum changes, especially in mathematics. It is potentially damaging to our learners.”