June 17, 2021
Seymour white history tale comes unstuck
A Whangārei primary school principal says schools in the area are doing good work to counter racism – and they don’t need ACT leader David Seymour trying to use children to milk votes from rednecks.
Mr Seymour has come unstuck with his allegation a Whangārei school made a child speak of their white privilege.
Pat Newman from Horahora School says like a used car salesman trying to unload a lemon, the school in Mr Seymour’s tale morphed from being a primary school to Whangārei Girls High to just being something a parent told him.
He says it’s important schools expose children to ideas at an age-appropriate level, including giving them a realistic view of New Zealand history and society.
"Surely if it's all right to talk about the Wars of the Roses in England or anything else, it's all right to talk about the history of New Zealand. Unless kids know that understanding of their history, the society is never going to get past having the rednecks and all the rest," he says.
Pat Newman says he would not use the words white privilege when talking with his 5 to 10 year olds, but it’s a different conversation when you teach 17 or 18 year olds.
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