Charter Schools: Not Even the Pretence of Democracy

Charter Schools: Not even the Pretence of Democracy.

Associate Professor Peter O’Connor from the University of Auckland says the calling for organisations to apply to run charter schools before the Education and Science Select Committee reports back to parliament is a continuation of the total disregard for democracy that has characterised the sham of charter schools since we found out about their introduction after the 2010 election.

Dr O’Connor says that this extraordinary assault on basic democratic and parliamentary procedure is because the deadlines are so tight to get charter schools in place by the beginning of next year the Act and National parties had no choice but to ride roughshod over proper process. The desperation shown in such a move reveals the importance the backers of the Act party have placed in having charter schools before the next election.

Dr O’Connor says that the bill is not only ill conceived, based on ideology rather than evidence, but the Board which has been set up to oversee both the application and evaluation processes is grossly unqualified for the role.

Associate Professor Peter O'Connor

Director, Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre

University of Auckland

Woe to the man whose heart has not learned while young to hope, to love and to put his trust in life itself…Joseph Conrad

ENDS

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