Academic says Maori immersion classes divisive (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Academic says Maori immersion classes divisive
27 July 2004
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2984005a8153,00.html

An Auckland academic has been accused of putting a damper on Maori
Language Week by describing Maori immersion teaching as a major cause
of ethnic division.

Elizabeth Rata, a lecturer at the Auckland College of Education, has
been criticised by Maori language leaders for a 19-page report she
released this month.

In her report, Ethnic Ideologies in New Zealand Education: What's Wrong
with Kaupapa Maori, she described Maori initiatives such as total Maori
immersion language schools, or kura kaupapa Maori, as being flawed.

"Kaupapa Maori contributes to creating ethnic division, is
anti-democratic and fundamentalist," Dr Rata said.

"Nothing is sacred, everything must be scrutinised and I am simply
calling on New Zealanders to do that."

Dr Rata, a principal lecturer in the faculty of postgraduate studies and
research, also claims that kaupapa Maori:

# Is not scrutinised enough.

# Has become too influential in government education policy.

# Reinforces the victimhood mentality.

# Is intellectually flawed.

# Is scientifically flawed.

The chief executive of the Maori Language Commission, Haami Piripi, said
he welcomed scrutiny, but he described Dr Rata as being the "female
equivalent of Don Brash".

"She's an ignorant academic who has had her head in the books for too
long. I had never heard of her until three weeks ago when I attended a
conference she spoke at.

"A lot of people walked out of the room when she spoke and even the
Pakeha academics there were questioning her. Apparently she has got
personal hang-ups with some Maori people."

Mr Piripi said Maori Language Week would go ahead full steam.

"This is going to be our biggest Maori Language Week ever, and if she
thinks she can get rid of kaupapa Maori then she needs to wake up."

Wiremu Doherty, the tumuaki (principal) at New Zealand's first total
immersion Maori language school, Te Kura o Hoani Waititi in Waitakere
City, said kaupapa Maori was about being inclusive, not exclusive.

"Kaupapa Maori has nothing to do with anything that she is talking
about. It's about empowering Maori, not defying other groups.

"Kaupapa Maori is about being independent and self-sufficient, knowing
who you are as a Maori, where you come from and where you are going."

Dr Rata, who is also an honorary research fellow in the department of
political studies at the University of Auckland, said she had been
researching kaupapa Maori for the past 10 years. But when asked if she
spoke Maori or had ever visited a Maori language school or traditional
marae, she refused to answer.

"That is personal information," Dr Rata said. "It has nothing to do with
what I'm researching."

The Education Review Office regularly issues reports evaluating kura
kaupapa Maori, as it does with mainstream schools.

In a 2002 report it said this about the effectiveness of kura kaupapa
Maori: "While ERO has concerns about the delivery of education at many
kura kaupapa Maori, some kura are providing excellent educations for
their students.

"Many of the factors which make for good performance in kura kaupapa are
the same as those which would be found in high-performing mainstream
schools."