Posts by Hilary Stace
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I can think of about a dozen disability 'thinkers and do-ers' that it would be good to get together (resources permittiing).
Starting with Martin.
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Sacha. Good luck with developing that strategic leadership. It is needed. I can think of about a dozen disability 'thinkers and do-ers' that it would be good to get together (resources permittiing).
By the way are you going to the Auckland meeting with Professor Gerard Quinn of the Irish Human Rights Commission on monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (organised by our Human Rights Commission)? He's also speaking on Thursday in Wellington. His visit should be a chance to get some traction here in NZ.
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I was talking at Foo with a smart disability activist from a US background about our disturbing local absence of strong leadership and of clear, shared understandings about what is needed
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I agree about the shared understanding about what is needed (although there are definitely shared themes), but I disagree about lack of local leadership. As someone not yet disabled who works in the sector, I see strong leadership by disabled people, for disabled people, every day. They are advocating, teaching, lobbying, supporting, sometimes bickering around the edges, but always staunchly working for the ultimate benefit of us all. The problem is how to unite all this work so everyone in NZ knows about it and can join in.
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Went to a talk the other day on restorative justice and other sensible ways of dealing with crime and punishment and the speaker used the word 'victimist' to describe the attitude of those from lobby groups like the SST. Like racism, victimism creates 'otherness' by encouraging people to see perpetrators of crimes as not human beings, or at least lesser humans that themselves.
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Great to hear the acknowledgment by NZH on-line editor Jeremy Rees of PA's E=Mc^2 satire on the Herald's opinion threads.
But a little off topic here is a link to new Green MP Catherine Delahunty's maiden speech in parliament this week.
As my friend in London says 'Wow. I was at school with her you know...' -
Jolisa and Kerry and others - thanks for the comments on educational alternatives. I'm interested in the Manawatu project as I know the Group Special Ed people at the Ministry of Ed up there have been concerned for a long time about those kids for whom normal school doesn't work. The trick is not to separate them too much (and therefore stigmatise them or remove them from their so-called normal age peers) while providing an educational environment that meets their particular needs.
The schools providing alternative type education in the NZ system are either private like the Montessori secondary school in Wellington that has recently closed due to lack of money, or have to be under the governance of the board of a regular state school. So the success of the school can depend on how keen the adoptive school board is to nurture them. (The school for young mothers and the activity centre in Wellington are both governed by local schools on a roster system - which means their fortunes fluctuate).
Re Charter schools in the US. I'm not sure if this is the right model for us. My understanding is that the schools can choose their students (which immediately excludes some), and their teachers are non-unionised (and sometimes not even registered), so open to exploitation.
Those new schools that are being built currently in NZ could do a lot for inclusion just through architecture and design - eg lots of quiet spaces, low sensory areas, small group and outdoor learning environments. But I wonder if they will?
But I've heard that the education select committee at parliament is keen to look at this whole issue of education for the variety of learning needs so hopefully we will all get a chance to have some input.
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I think they're too scared to make flexible, alternative education available in case *heaps* of students take it up and leave all those classrooms empty.
I'm really interested in ideas about what is realistically possible in NZ given the current environment, busy parents, stretched resources etc. As Russell has shown, education doesn't have to occur only in a classroom. So what student centred model/s would be practical which educates those non-standard model kids but doesn't require too much parental energy or expense? And still complies with the Education Act.
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And where does the fun come from?
They are kept under control. It's well run. And mostly good natured.
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The taping of Back Benchers on Wednesdays at 9 at the Backbencher is quite fun - the audience usually includes some noisy locals from TheStandard and Kiwiblog, assorted politicians, pollies, media people, and some startled members of the public. (But I don't know when that starts for the year).
And there is also the occasional Drinking Liberally at the Southern Cross Bar. First one for the year is on Thursday at 6 and the speaker is Brian Easton.
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Russell -You must be a proud Dad. I love the way the abilities and creativity of our children sometimes/often surprise us.
By the way for those looking for an event in Wellington I hear that Drinking Liberally has its first outing of the year at the Southern Cross Bar on Thursday 12th, 6 pm. Speaker Brian Easton.