Conservatism Likely To Grow In N.Z. Education (Press, 13 September 1985)

On 13 September 1985, Alan Mcßobie, a senior lecturer at Christchurch Teachers' College, expressed concerns about the possibility of conservative education groups in New Zealand starting independent schools. He noted that parents were becoming increasingly involved in their children's education and predicted a growth in conservative sentiments in the country. Mcßobie observed that many parents might withdraw their children from classes that included the sex education segment of the new health syllabus, prompting wealthier families to establish their own independent schools. Recently returned from a teaching exchange in California, Mcßobie highlighted the influence of the "back to basics" movement and organisations like the Moral Majority on the direction of education in the United States, connecting this trend to a broader global shift towards conservatism. He pointed out that while conservative groups in New Zealand denied ties to the Moral Majority, their methods were quite similar. He believed that the various conservative factions in New Zealand addressing issues such as abortion, homosexual law reform, and sex education would eventually unite. Mcßobie provided insight into the structure of educational governance in the United States, noting that conservative groups, despite comprising a relatively small percentage of the population (around 15 per cent), could exert significant influence over local education systems due to the independence of school boards. He explained that in the U.S., educational standards often resulted in rigorous testing regimes that began as early as kindergarten, with schools receiving financial incentives to improve their test performances. He recounted a specific case where a school was offered substantial state funding to enhance its test ratings but faced challenges from a student organisation that sought to divert much of that funding for non-educational purposes. This situation illustrated the pressure within the American education system, where the focus on testing sometimes resulted in a lack of critical thinking and deeper learning among students. Though critical of many aspects of the American education system, Mcßobie stated that not everything was negative and that he did not foresee New Zealand following the conservative educational trends seen in the U.S. He believed that New Zealand teachers would continue to champion the progressive advancements that had been made in the country's educational landscape.

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