Antidote NZ

Funny how the changes made to the zone by the CHS board exclude arguably the lowest income housing from their zone, yet the Ministry of Educations proposed change that wasnt adopted excluded the most geographically distant.

You can virtually gaurantee that if there is an intelligent method of school zoning, like drawing a circle round the school on a map, the ministry of education will have a more complicated, and controversial method to annoy more people.

Cool so when 6000 people want their kid to go to girls/boys high how does that work?

Nothing like Christchurch School Zones to get keyboards a-tapping. The problem is not so much where the lines are drawn but some peoples perceptions of what a good school is, this has not been helped by obsessions with league tables and decile ratings.

If the kids from Port Levy/Diamond Harbour are already on a bus, take them to Hillmorton, and leave those living close enough to walk to Cashmere do so.

yes 1 that, in todays world its definitely a drive to school only an ogre would make precious walk 800 metres

The school is in a no win situation, the children of Port Levy need a high school to go to just as much as the kids from Spreydon

So they think their kids should have the right to go to their closest school but those over the hill don't? Or are they forgetting that despite being 40+km away, Cashmere high is the closest school to those in Port Levy

Primary issue...there is no Seconday school this side of town apart from Cashmere or Hillmorton. Cashmere, as it has done when I was there 40 years ago (jesus) services Governers Bay through to Diamond Harbour. I think it may be time for Ministry to fund a new school in the Hallswell / TaiTapu area as the large number of development taking place in the Cashmere/ Hallswell area is massive.

Why is Hillmorton such a small school. With the growth of Halswell and Aidenfields especially after the earthquake, wouldnt the school be growing? Where do all the high school aged school students from these areas go to?

Yes...the first thing I noticed is hat the poorer areas that were previously in zone have now been excluded... Without carefully examining the argument for the new zone boundaries for anomalies or inconsistencies, it is hard to argue conclusively...though on a practical basis, it certainly cannot be discounted that these areas were deliberately excluded. The argument of a natural geographic boundary is fairly weak...in terms of the nearest school, there is no such natural geographic boundary I would be interested to see what the Ministry of Educations proposal was... Often our schools, the decisions they make, and how they operate are simply a reflection of our own societys values and prejudices... I have taught all over New Zealand (including at Cashmere)

So what happens when the 380 homes are finished in Cashmere Estates which are in zone?

Got to keep the riff raff out huh? Then good schools can keep being good schools and exclusively teach the children of educated wealthy people. Its the same all around the country and its wrong.

Geez, are you a ministry employee already? You flatten the edge of the circles where they touch.

I biked 5.2km to school and home every single school day rain hail snow sunshine. I lived in Halswell and went to Hillmorton and that was the closest school we didnt get a choice.

This process was started two years ago

Gerrymandering, plain and simple. Its going on in other schools around Christchurch, and other places in the country too. Even Shirley Boys is trying to exclude its eponymous suburb.

You mean that big lake at the bottom of the hills?

In the scheme of what things? Its twice around a running track. Its nothing.

The issue is parents do not want their kids to go to Hillmorton. I live in Halswell and there is a scramble to get your kids in anywhere but Hillmorton ... Im one of them. Before anyone starts jumping to conclusions, our family is brown and are proud ex Hillmorton students that thought it was a great school back then with some teachers who were great role models. But, when I compared school for my boys Hillmortons end of year results were bad. My boys arent the best academically and I didnt feel it would be a good fit and at the end of the day I want what is best for them. As awkward as the topic can be, Its about time some serious money and resources are thrown at Hillmorton ... face the reality that the role is small because parents are not sending their kids there and figure out what the issues are and address them. Hillmorton needs Halswell to be sending their kids their and Halswell needs some diversity in their lives.