Alwyn Poole
Villa Education Trust
Innovative Education Consultants
In the last 10 days, I have had the privilege of working alongside two amazing groups of people.
1. Mike King and team – working with us in Russell, Bay of Islands, being involved in three events and doing an incredible job bringing his mental health message to the Far North (where it is desperately needed).
2. A group of courageous, passionate and highly informed parents as the Friends of Mt Hobson Middle School advocating for diverse learners across the country, putting their own stories in public and challenging the Minister of Educations view that a new school for 480 students near an Auckland transport is not needed because (his words): “there are available supports for all learners in existing State schools” and that a new school of 480 students would make “no material difference to the network.”
Both causes have gathered significant traction and remarkable public support.
Those with the purse strings have preferred to fund a white elephant bike and footpath from Birkenhead to Ponsonby and a gang led drug programme. I have just watched Jacinda Ardern explain why:
“Our position is to fund what works, fund what makes a difference.”
PM Jacinda Ardern
(40 secs into this: newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/07/mongrel-mob-rehab-funding-likened-to-money-laundering-officers-angry-police-association.)
Surely she jests! How does she keep a straight face? That was funnier than Mike King.
Please share so others can discover The BFD.