Some parents of Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) students were left dissatisfied last week (Wednesday August 30) after a consultation session at the school on its health education curriculum.

Consultation on the health education programme is a two-yearly requirement of the Ministry of Education and is overseen by the school’s board of trustees. 

At the event, MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen outlined recent changes to the school’s strategic plan; then health education programme teacher Carys Overton laid out the results of a survey of year 10 students on the health curriculum (which was used to inform a review of the programme), and broadly summarised the curriculum delivered to year 7-10 students and the optional curriculum for year 11-13 students. 

Disruption from parents

Two people at the event interjected as both Nicola and Carys were speaking, calling the government “a foreign corporation”, raising ‘Agenda 2030’ (a conspiracy theory about the UN’s sustainable development goals), and asking if certain sexual practices were being taught to year 11-13 students.

Nicola told them if they had any concerns about these issues they should contact the Ministry of Education. 

When the presentation concluded, parents were offered the opportunity to come and speak one-on-one with the teachers present, or make an appointment to discuss any questions.

The two people who had been interjecting queried why they were not allowed to ask questions in the public forum. One of them asked parents to raise their hands if they wanted to be able to ask questions, but other parents intervened, saying they had heard enough and were happy to end the session.

Parents’ reaction

The Wānaka App spoke to four parents at the event who were disappointed by what took place, one of whom said the parents present had been “completely shut down”.

“I thought it was a presentation, not a consultation,” one of them said.

The parents said they had come to the meeting with concerns about gender ideology and the age appropriateness of different issues in the curriculum.

“They’re putting things on kids too early,” one said.

Another described gender ideology as “that one big elephant in the room”.

“I don’t think the school is responsible for teaching them values... We will raise our children, and [teachers] will educate them,” said another parent.

One parent who told the Wānaka App she had planned to ask questions said it would have been “impossible to have a conversation” while the two people interjecting were present.

MAC response

MAC board chair Dr Ian Hall told the Wānaka App the “information evening is just one part of a wider consultation which gives community members a number of opportunities for interaction with the college”.

“I believe the information evening met its purpose of providing information and we now welcome further feedback,” he said.

Nicola said attendees’ questions and concerns were addressed at the end of the presentation in small group and one-on-one interactions. 

“The content presented at the information evening will be sent to our parent community along with a survey for them to complete,” she said.

“The sexuality unit covers a number of topics, including puberty, consent, relationships, being safe, and gender. Before the sexuality unit is taught, we email information about the course content to parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers can choose whether or not they wish their child to attend all or some of these lessons. 

“Gender ideology is a topic that elicits differing opinions. Our aim is to ensure our students are informed and can think critically about this topic.”

She said the school prioritises student wellbeing “by building a safe, caring and inclusive environment”.

Bob McCoskrie from conservative lobby group Family First spoke in Wānaka the night before (August 29) about the NZ school curriculum.

An advertisement for the Family First event read: “Are you worried about inappropriate topics and resources being given to children way too young? Are you concerned about the safety of your children in such a permissive world? Are you someone who has responsibility for the care of young kids and teens and have doubts, heard rumours or feel confused about what’s actually going on and want to know your rights?”

MAC’s delivery of the health education programme is guided by the Ministry of Education’s Relationship and Sexuality Education curriculum document. There is also a range of resources to support the programme’s implementation in schools.

In years 7 to 10, health education makes up one hour per week of curriculum learning time, and the sexuality unit comprises approximately 10 hours of teaching and learning time over the course of the year. 

PHOTO: Supplied