8 minute read
Principal Speaks: Why is equity so hard to implement?
Why is equity so hard to implement?
What a privilege it is to be a leader of a school! It would be bett er if this Government was more supportive…
When I refl ect on my 42 years of being a teacher and principal, I do so with pride, satisfaction, and an understanding that all teachers and principals give their all to support students, parents, staff , Boards, and associated agencies. This has been highly evident over the past 24 months, when principals and all staff were asked to step up to the plate and lead, not only their school, but their community during a global pandemic. And everyone did. It was tough, it was challenging, and all of us had to adapt and adopt; very quickly. Our communities were grateful. When you refl ect on why you became a teacher or principal, one reason was probably that you thought you could make a diff erence. And you did. It is with immense pleasure that I have led Belmont Primary School, on the lovely Devonport Peninsula, for 17 years. All the staff are outstanding and the collegiality, congeniality, and high-performing culture that has been created is one of the best I have encountered. And the students benefi t greatly from this in so many ways: we are well-resourced, especially with digital technologies, which have been hugely benefi cial over the last 24 months. Which leads me to think about educational policies around funding and equity. And I think about teacher/ principal wellbeing a lot. I taught at Baird’s Primary in Otara from 1981-1984, where the late Wally Morley was a leader before his time. The staff were his focus (maybe because the Education Board did everything!) and all staff had a wonderful experience and a great time. We were happy, we were all excellent teachers, and we were well resourced. We had the same resourcing as my fellow fi rst-year teachers in other communities. We got paid a year above our step, due to teaching in Otara. What a great incentive to get quality teachers to schools that fi nd it diffi cult to staff . Maybe the MoE could rethink a cost-of-living allowance for Auckland teachers? From 1985 to 1989, I had the privilege to be led by the late Jim Laughton at Richmond Road School in Ponsonby. The school was at the forefront of education based on research. All staff worked extremely hard, but we also had a great time. And the students achieved. And we were well-resourced. The same as other schools in other communities.
Then, Tomorrow’s Schools came, and the funding of schools changed dramatically, as did pay parity, so I jumped ship. From 1990 to 2001, I taught at Kelston Boys’ High School in a variety of roles. Sir Graham Henry and Steve Watt were my principals. Both men had an emphasis on creating a culture of success through hard work. KBHS was one of the most social schools to be a part of. The students were wonderful. The importance of congeniality and collegiality was hitt ing home. From 2002 to 2005, once again I had the honour to be led by a wonderful leader and person - the late John Clarke at Southern Cross Campus in Mangere. All these four schools embedded in me the belief that your staff are the most important resource. However, when I moved to Belmont Primary, I noticed a diff erence in physical resources and inequities in our educational sett ings. This should not happen.
Some of these inequities were school-based, but many of the inequities were in the homes of the communities I had just left . Why do governments not ensure all households have internet in their homes? Why do governments continue to build three-bedroom homes when they know the households might have over 10 family members? And my list could go on.
Image courtesy of Belmont Primary School
Bruce Cunningham Principal, Belmont Primary School
Image courtesy of Belmont Primary School
All staff and principals work very hard, so there is frustration building inside me with this government. After 42 years of educating students and staff, I have some reflections on recent government announcements…
Why do they want to make our jobs more difficult through unnecessary policies and inadequate funding? This will have a direct impact on retention, wellbeing and, therefore, student success. It will undermine all the hard work we all do as leaders to create environments that enable staff to focus on their core skills. I know high quality principals that have resigned due to the stresses of our role. This is an indictment on our profession, and the MoE.
This Government, which I voted for, thanked us for all our hard work, leading communities in a pandemic, by giving us a wage freeze, along with other key front-line workers including the nurses and police. This, thankfully, died a quick and silent death. Why would they think this was a good idea? So much for being kind and being a team. So much for being a Wellbeing Government. And now our staff are faced with inflationary increases, higher rent, or higher interest rates for mortgages. I am looking forward to the primary teachers’ collective to see exactly how much this government does value our profession.
It has emerged over the past few weeks, as of writing, that the Government is looking to restrict international students from below Year 9. There has been no consultation. A survey is not consultation. Who is advising Chris Hipkins? Why is taking away a funding resource that helps all students and staff a good idea? The reason this irks me so much is twofold: It will deny students the opportunity to have the best resources available and it will have a direct impact on staffing, whether that be the wonderful teacher aides that support our children who need supporting, or the extra teacher we employ above our entitlement.
Our school is very well-resourced, due to international students, and this enables all staff to do
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their job to the best of their ability. My staff enjoy coming to school. However, what will this look like in two years’ time when instead of nine teacher aides (one for every two classes) we only have those funded through RTLB? When our iPad/ chromebook leases expire in 24 months, or they get too old, how will we fund 400 devices at a cost of $200,000? How will I create the lower-class sizes that only private schools have? How will I fund extra property requirements such as playgrounds, shades, or artifi cial turf so we can be active outdoors year-round? Another reason that denying primary and intermediate schools this funding source irritates me so much is because it is not equitable. Why can secondary schools continue to have international students? Where is the evidence lower decile schools think it is not equitable that higher decile schools get international students? My colleagues in lower decile schools that I have talked to don’t care that we have international students.
Our school has a roll of around 430 and, being Decile 10, we get the minimum funding formula as we are supposedly able to obtain ‘locally raised funds,’ through school donations, school fairs, international students, or sponsorships. We receive around 10 international students a year, which brings in $100,000. This money is essential to my leadership. This money allows our school to have the ability to make a diff erence to kids’ lives. This allows teachers to be the best they can be. I do have a solution: Fund every school at the same formula of a Decile 1A school. Wouldn’t that be great? Then we would all have equity. This is what the government wants. No excuses. The government wants equity, well here is their opportunity. I am sure all schools prior to 1989 were funded equally and we were all well-resourced, regardless of the community they were in. I am jealous of my colleagues in lower decile schools that I taught in for 25 years. They are well resourced; they have wonderful property enhancements and wonderful support staff and extra teachers mostly funded by the government. Our school does too, but for how much longer? In my experiences, the inequities of lower decile schools are found in the households.
Equitable funding will solve another issue; the common misrepresentation of schools and communities being labelled unfairly, due to being a low decile.
Get rid of decile labelling. Fund every school the same. This will make a huge diff erence to all our students. And it will ensure that principals can focus on their core business, which is not being a fundraiser. Imagine if a principal’s only focus was on staff , students and doing right for their communities in regard to resources, and teaching and learning practices? Imagine what we all could achieve with our children that need learning support? But that is a discussion for another day.
Finally, I hope you all enjoy your leadership role as much as I do. I hope it brings you joy. It is a privilege to lead students, staff and communities and to make a diff erence.
Artificial turf for sports courts, playgrounds and landscapng areas
