LEARNING AUCKLAND
1
Publisher’s note Emma Chajecka
S
tudent writer Shelley Waddams of Massey High School has taken on a sensitive topic in this edition – sex education from a student’s perspective.
Shelley recently moved to Auckland from the UK, and says this aspect of health education is lacking in both countries. Given the recent findings of the Children’s Commissioner for England, Dr Maggie Atkinson, the subject and our teaching of it probably does need attention, especially in light of rapid uptake of internet by students, and the burgeoning social media networks. Dr Atkinson says age restrictions are applied to cinema, but we permit access to far more troubling imagery via the internet. She says we have no idea of the implications of this random and less than savoury ‘sex education’. “It is a risky experiment,’ Dr Atkinson says, “to allow a generation of young people to be raised on a diet of pornography.” The report called for compulsory
sex and relationship education in primary and secondary schools, with emphasis on the dangers of pornography. This is backed up by the National Association of Teachers, and the education watchdog Ofsted which says sex education lessons are not of a quality students need. The Commissioner also said strict rules around sex education and in classrooms generally made it difficult for students to ask legitimate questions when they did access sexual images. This is different to the usual silly questions that will be asked, where students hope to embarrass a teacher or raise a laugh by asking about some explicit act. As another Massey High School writer, Mathew Ditchburn, points out in this edition, young people are bombarded with unsavoury imagery when they use the internet for legitimate research. Sex education is happening, and it is out of control. The explicit images are far more graphic and offensive than anything that would ever be encountered in a
health class. Even those opposed to sex education for various reasons will agree the ‘accidental’ classroom, and playground, of the internet is unhelpful, to say the least. The Commissioner has shown a clear link between exposure to extreme images at a young age and a noticeable increase in “risky behaviours”, and student writers in this edition are signalling their concerns, shared by many of their peers. Belinda Ryan, from Alfriston College, has shown great courage with her piece on depression. Belinda offers unique insight to the condition, its impact on school and social life, and outlines how others can help people suffering this debilitating illness. Also from Alfriston, Brittney Flavell traces the impact of domestic violence and also presents measures students and others can take when this touches their lives or the lives of those around them. Stephanie Weatherill from ACG Sunderland points out students who are performing well can
be overlooked as resources are poured into those who aren’t; and Tilak Patel from Flanshaw Road School presents interesting research he conducted in several West Auckland schools to arrive at suggestions for playground investment. Anna Neumann, also from Flanshaw Road School, underlines the multicultural shape of our schools and the many languages spoken in them. Anna introduces her idea for bilingual clubs and in the next edition of Learning Auckland she’ll tell us how they could work. Scientist Siouxsie Wiles presents the animations she is producing to support breakfast clubs in schools as part of her work in child poverty, and tertiary student Hilary Dutton covers the recent visit by indigenous education expert Dr Ku Kahakalau. Strong and varied writing from student contributors have given us this third edition of Learning Auckland, and the second for 2013. We welcome your comments and submissions. Emma Chajecka
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STUDENTCONTRIBUTIONS We welcome student writing, art, photographs and ideas. Send material to production@educationtoday.co.nz or call 0277344756 for more details. Education Today can provide a permission form where photos and interviews of students require principal and caregiver signoff.
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