Path from Old Apathyland to future New Zealand leads not through budgets or laws, but through classrooms. This piece explores the generative power of education—and the leader who holds it.
"Not to malice" ? I don't know about that. If control of the populace is the aim then dumbing down is the way to do it. If reading and numeracy standards fall - as they have - then the education bureaucracy must be held accountable. And if those politicians and bureaucrats have acted wilfully, then their actions should be scrutinised. We have a Fiscal Responsibility Act, why not an Education Standards Act?
Thanks, Mike. I always first try to use Hanlon's Razor—a principle that suggests we “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” And while it’s tempting to see coordinated sabotage, I often see something more banal but just as destructive: apathy, incompetence, and self-preservation dressed up as progress.
That said, you're absolutely right to call for accountability. When reading and numeracy standards fall this far, the education bureaucracy should not be immune from scrutiny. And if it turns out that wilful neglect or ideology played a role, then consequences must follow.
Still, I believe we as citizens have a strength not yet fully tapped. Once enough of us stand for what is right, the dust of stupidity will be blown into the wind—and in its place, new, fit-for-purpose structures will rise. That is our task.
Its real name is The Ministry of Indoctrination and No-Thought.
Its aims are to remove all capacity for critical thinking, to remove all striving for excellence.
The goal being to create a bland, homogenised mass of Neo-Marxist, gender-confused, climate change extremists rolled down to the lowest common denominator and aspiring for nothing.
As a teacher of 43 years, around 1995, I rechristened it The Misery of Education! Don't think teachers are blameless in all this. They are! The culture of the staffroom does not drive success in the areas that matter. It simply plays lip service to it. Many teachers are undertrained and not suited to the role. Some are plain stupid. They unionize themselves up the wazoo and allowed University courses to indoctrinate them. You won't find indoctrination so high on education course agendas in DENMARK, the NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, IRELAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA, LUXEMBOURG, or even the UK. These are the ten happiest, most productive and highly educated nations on our speck of dust!
Not all teachers are useless. The teachers at my child's school (ACG Tauranga) are superb. They encourage and teach critical thinking and the children are not exposed to any gender ideology or indigenous indoctrination or climate lies. A truly excellent school.
I never said all teachers are useless and obviously there are schools functioning as they should. For kids, school should be the best party in town and, in your case it is. Well done!
Absolutely on point! My wife and I have been convinced that the future is in the schools, for a long long time. she is a very good teacher, and taught difficult boys in a premier school. Unfortunately others such as Maori activists also knew this a long time ago, and have used it to good effect.
Rethinking School Attendance: Let Natural Consequences Do the Work
If only 65% of children are attending school regularly, why fight the resistance? Remove the mandate for compulsory schooling and let reality take its course. Watch the reactions unfold:
- Parents, once indifferent, will suddenly realise the value of structured education when their children opt to stay home.
- Teachers will revolutionise their approach, making lessons more engaging, knowing that student participation isn’t guaranteed.
- Schools will become places of true opportunity, where attendance isn’t enforced, but highly sought after.
And when parents want their children back in the system, schools will set clear conditions:
- Students must arrive well-fed, dressed appropriately, and prepared for learning.
- They must bring all required materials, including swimming gear when needed.
- Respect for school rules will be non-negotiable, and parental support will be expected.
If these expectations aren’t met, the school simply calls home and hands the responsibility back to the parents. No debates, no compromises.
Judging schools will shift from attendance rates to learning progress and achievement, reflecting true educational impact rather than forced participation.
Sure, police and social services might have their concerns. But perhaps a system that relies on accountability rather than enforcement is exactly what’s needed to rebuild the culture of education into something students, parents, and educators actively value.
Here are the top 10 countries ranked by their combined scores across productivity, education, and happiness: (in order 1 to 10) DENMARK, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, IRELAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA, LUXEMBOURG, UK. Any guesses as to why?
Oh so very true, well opined. But sadly education standards here in NZ, are royally screwed. Dumbed down by post-modern meat heads and their ‘new age classrooms’ or ‘whole word’ type idiocy, and then hi-jacked by Maori radicals, look how far we have fallen. The angry early settler mob have adopted their coloniser’s Jesuit mantra of ‘give me the child…’ and stealthily usurped control of education. First came Teachers Training College, now it is the full gamut from pre-schools to university. And even professional development training has now been hijacked by te ao Maori. Dr Elizabeth Rata has pointed out the pending amendment to Section 9(1)(d) of the Education & Training Act 2020 which will force ALL schools to teach with tikanga, te Ao Maori & Mataurangi as their PRIMARY objective. I’m not sure what planet Stanford lives on, but this a is very, very, very bad move. The existing clause in the Act is bad enough, this change will be next level disastrous. But great for the Machiavellian Maori grifters of course...
"Not to malice" ? I don't know about that. If control of the populace is the aim then dumbing down is the way to do it. If reading and numeracy standards fall - as they have - then the education bureaucracy must be held accountable. And if those politicians and bureaucrats have acted wilfully, then their actions should be scrutinised. We have a Fiscal Responsibility Act, why not an Education Standards Act?
Thanks, Mike. I always first try to use Hanlon's Razor—a principle that suggests we “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” And while it’s tempting to see coordinated sabotage, I often see something more banal but just as destructive: apathy, incompetence, and self-preservation dressed up as progress.
That said, you're absolutely right to call for accountability. When reading and numeracy standards fall this far, the education bureaucracy should not be immune from scrutiny. And if it turns out that wilful neglect or ideology played a role, then consequences must follow.
Still, I believe we as citizens have a strength not yet fully tapped. Once enough of us stand for what is right, the dust of stupidity will be blown into the wind—and in its place, new, fit-for-purpose structures will rise. That is our task.
The Ministry of Education is a cover job.
Its real name is The Ministry of Indoctrination and No-Thought.
Its aims are to remove all capacity for critical thinking, to remove all striving for excellence.
The goal being to create a bland, homogenised mass of Neo-Marxist, gender-confused, climate change extremists rolled down to the lowest common denominator and aspiring for nothing.
It is doing a superb job in achieving just that.
I agree, StruckOff, I lament the lost opportunity.
As a teacher of 43 years, around 1995, I rechristened it The Misery of Education! Don't think teachers are blameless in all this. They are! The culture of the staffroom does not drive success in the areas that matter. It simply plays lip service to it. Many teachers are undertrained and not suited to the role. Some are plain stupid. They unionize themselves up the wazoo and allowed University courses to indoctrinate them. You won't find indoctrination so high on education course agendas in DENMARK, the NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, IRELAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA, LUXEMBOURG, or even the UK. These are the ten happiest, most productive and highly educated nations on our speck of dust!
Not all teachers are useless. The teachers at my child's school (ACG Tauranga) are superb. They encourage and teach critical thinking and the children are not exposed to any gender ideology or indigenous indoctrination or climate lies. A truly excellent school.
One swallow does not make a summer!
Yes, but river is made of raindrops - every expression of excellence counts! Hooray for ACG Tauranga!
I never said all teachers are useless and obviously there are schools functioning as they should. For kids, school should be the best party in town and, in your case it is. Well done!
Absolutely on point! My wife and I have been convinced that the future is in the schools, for a long long time. she is a very good teacher, and taught difficult boys in a premier school. Unfortunately others such as Maori activists also knew this a long time ago, and have used it to good effect.
I actually think that the schools, in their current form, are not fit for 21st Century, let alone 22nd! But no one is asking me...
Rethinking School Attendance: Let Natural Consequences Do the Work
If only 65% of children are attending school regularly, why fight the resistance? Remove the mandate for compulsory schooling and let reality take its course. Watch the reactions unfold:
- Parents, once indifferent, will suddenly realise the value of structured education when their children opt to stay home.
- Teachers will revolutionise their approach, making lessons more engaging, knowing that student participation isn’t guaranteed.
- Schools will become places of true opportunity, where attendance isn’t enforced, but highly sought after.
And when parents want their children back in the system, schools will set clear conditions:
- Students must arrive well-fed, dressed appropriately, and prepared for learning.
- They must bring all required materials, including swimming gear when needed.
- Respect for school rules will be non-negotiable, and parental support will be expected.
If these expectations aren’t met, the school simply calls home and hands the responsibility back to the parents. No debates, no compromises.
Judging schools will shift from attendance rates to learning progress and achievement, reflecting true educational impact rather than forced participation.
Sure, police and social services might have their concerns. But perhaps a system that relies on accountability rather than enforcement is exactly what’s needed to rebuild the culture of education into something students, parents, and educators actively value.
Here are the top 10 countries ranked by their combined scores across productivity, education, and happiness: (in order 1 to 10) DENMARK, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, IRELAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA, LUXEMBOURG, UK. Any guesses as to why?
Oh so very true, well opined. But sadly education standards here in NZ, are royally screwed. Dumbed down by post-modern meat heads and their ‘new age classrooms’ or ‘whole word’ type idiocy, and then hi-jacked by Maori radicals, look how far we have fallen. The angry early settler mob have adopted their coloniser’s Jesuit mantra of ‘give me the child…’ and stealthily usurped control of education. First came Teachers Training College, now it is the full gamut from pre-schools to university. And even professional development training has now been hijacked by te ao Maori. Dr Elizabeth Rata has pointed out the pending amendment to Section 9(1)(d) of the Education & Training Act 2020 which will force ALL schools to teach with tikanga, te Ao Maori & Mataurangi as their PRIMARY objective. I’m not sure what planet Stanford lives on, but this a is very, very, very bad move. The existing clause in the Act is bad enough, this change will be next level disastrous. But great for the Machiavellian Maori grifters of course...