Now There's A Thought.

A big increase in the number of primary school children suspended for violent acts is being blamed on the removal of corporal punishment in schools.
Figures from the Ministry of Education show a 88 per cent increase in suspensions of eight-year-olds from 2000 to 2008 for assaults on classmates, a 73 per cent rise for seven-year-olds, a 70 per cent increase for six–year-olds while the suspensions over the same period had increased by 33 per cent for five-year-olds.
"It is significant that as schools have removed corporal punishment, schools have become more violent," Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said today.

Now there may just be something to that ... it was certainly a more time-limited approach than reasoning them in to good behaviour and almost always was effective ... not so reason or reasoning which requires a reasonable and reasonably skilled person for it to work - not many adults can achieve this let alone an indisciplined out of control kid.

Sponsoring Events.

There probably is a good reason why companies that sponsor 'travelling science road shows' to schools should view the shows before they are toured.
A more comprehensively Green agenda would be hard to imagine ... global warming, new Kyoto Protocol, CO2, methane ... & featuring cows as environmental destroyers.

Such receptive audiences, such an exciting fast-paced presentation, such credibility, such 'buy in' by teachers and hence perpetuation ensured .... such self-inflicted, sponsored, 'shooting of oneself in the foot' ... absolutely, irresponsibly, incredible!

Now Who Really Is Redefining 'Family' In NZ?

The acting principal Family Court judge wants the law changed so de facto and same-sex couples can adopt children.
Paul von Dadelszen says the 2004 Civil Union Act and changes to property legislation have put people in de facto relationships and same-sex couples on the same footing as married couples.
But Judge von Dadelszen says the 1955 Adoption Act was left out of that raft of legislation, and at the moment the only people allowed to adopt a child are married, heterosexual couples.
He says the Adoption Act was drafted according to the norms of 1950s society, but is outdated and has become unjustly discriminatory.

Demographics or the 'experts?'