Let Kids Be Kids and Penny Marie
Let Kids Be Kids is a New Zealand-wide grassroots network of people who ask questions, conduct research, focus on solutions and support one another. We are mums, dads and grandparents who are committed to the wellbeing of NZ children. Penny Marie is a mum and NZ based independent investigative reporter, researcher, writer, coach, truth seeker. Founder of Let Kids Be Kids NZ.
You’d be forgiven for not knowing. It’s not in mainstream media. Nor is it in Minister of Education Erica Stanford’s Beehive Blog. Given the heat on this topic, it seems odd, really. Why so quiet?
Education Review Office (ERO) review happening now
Last week we learnt that in April, Ms Stanford commissioned ERO to undertake a review that “identifies options for improving Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) through delivering an understanding of how RSE is currently taught and how well it meets the needs of students, expectations of parents and capability of schools”. – source ERO letter to Ms Stanford 18 April 2024, ref: M24-32.
Review overview
There are 2,500+ schools in NZ.
- ERO has selected 20 schools from across the country for visits to conduct interviews and focus groups.
- They have also selected another 500 schools for surveying.
- Interviews and surveys will capture the voices of teachers, leaders, board members, students, recent graduates, parents and whānau.
Schools are starting to communicate to their communities now. If you are sent a link to their survey, be sure to have your say. Parent, teacher, student…
Are the ERO surveys ‘quality’ research?
We’ve taken a look at the survey for parents and students, and… we regard them to be of questionable quality.
ERO student survey sample question.
- They may provide a false ‘support’ of current RSE by omission of important multi-choice options and poor question methodology.
- There is significant reinforcement of gender identity throughout.
- If the survey is full of ideology, how can the results lead to neutral non-ideological outcomes?
- Should children be surveyed? Do parents need to consent to this beforehand? Can children be expected to take survey seriously and provide accurate answers? Do we know if they understand the questions?
Coalition Agreement statement on RSE
“Refocus the curriculum on academic achievement and not ideology, including the removal and replacement of the gender, sexuality, and relationship-based education guidelines.” – NZ First Coalition Agreement, Nov 2023, page 8
A mention of the promised review, on 1News in April, stated: While references to gender ideology are almost certainly on the chopping block given NZ First’s strong stance on the issue during its election campaign, Stanford said guidelines around consent and healthy relationships were “critical to retain”.
“It is important to note that these (RSE) are only guidelines and schools are currently free to use them – or not – as they choose,” she (Stanford) said.
Note for immediate action… (no need to wait for the review)
Erica is stating here that the contentious RSE Guidelines sent to all schools… are just that. Guidelines. And schools are free to use them… or NOT!
She has this on record from the MOE in a ‘Rapid Response’ document dated 7 December 2023. As we shared in our previous Substack, here…
Most teachers don’t know that RSE topics are simply a ‘guide’
It seems many teachers haven’t got the memo. If one was sent. (We haven’t found one). Loosening the reins on what was definitely interpreted as compulsory topics. And further endorsed by the Ministry of Education recommendation to schools to use Navigating The Journey resources which has all of these topics included, and are dutifully purchased and used by many teachers. There are other programmes, too, and most have some level of gender ideology and other content we recommend parents view before deciding if you want your children in these classes or not.
MOE Education Gazette advert, July 2022
An example of what some teachers say to parents who question the content in RSE – who is using Navigating The Journey resources in class. (We have seen similar responses from a number of teachers throughout NZ).
“As part of the compulsory ‘Health Education in New Zealand Schools’ our Year 9 students will be participating in a unit of work focused on relationship and sexuality education. The following topics will be covered in your child’s Year 9 Health & Physical Education lessons:
- Relationships, including characteristics of both healthy and unhealthy relationships, influences on these and how to access help for yourself or others, if required
- Sexuality, including diversity in gender and sexual identities and actions we can take to ensure we are being an inclusive school
- Pubertal change and strategies to manage this
- Female and male anatomy and conception
- Romantic relationships
- Consent
- Where to go for help, support and advice if required”
Many parents and students are objecting to a number of these topics, and the graphic nature in which they are taught. Until now, they haven’t been heard.
Schools who have conducted consultations over the past year don’t appear to have amended any lesson content after receiving parent feedback… which makes consultation nothing more than a tick box exercise. Will the current review hear parent, staff and students’ concerns about consultation?
Selection of schools - cherry picking?
Are the ERO ‘cherry picking’ their schools to survey?
We know two of the 20 schools who are participating in the interviews, and, well… their leadership is decidedly ‘left-leaning’. So how did the ERO select the schools to participate? They do not say selection is random.
We are asking important questions. The quality of research will determine the outcome. The MOE has a lot of work to do to rebuild trust among parents and the wider community. We have seen their use of very ‘woke’ schools being used as exemplars of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) under the Labour govt. We expect better of our new leadership, but are we getting what was voted for?
So far, going by the information we have seen… they’re a long way off moving in the right direction on this topic.
We also don’t know what other methods of consultation or research is contributing to the review of RSE. Since no one is shouting from the rooftops about it.
What can you do?
- Communicate with your school teacher/principal about the statement from MOE about RSE curriculum having NO compulsory topics.
- Keep a look out for your invitation to participate in the ERO review – your school may be selected for face to face or online research. Be sure to have your say and keep a copy of your feedback for your own records.
- Let Kids Be Kids is a growing network throughout NZ. If you want to connect up, we’d love to hear from you – you’re invited to contact us.
This article was originally published on the Let Kids Be Kids Substack.
