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The Christchurch Civic
Creche Case |
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Educationalists must have breathed
a collective sigh of relief at what appears a new tolerance level towards
comforting children in distress, writes Phil Campbell, Editor Rotorua Review.
When necessary, they can now be
hugged and comforted in moments of distress and when encouragement is
required. Such practises were glowered on
from substantial intellectual and psychiatric heights because of the
insensitivity of the issue which had its sordid genesis in the 1990s over the
Peter Ellis creche trial in Christchurch. The fallout from that trial, the
reverberations nationally in education in particular was been widespread.
Finally, recent news that male teachers number in single percentage figures
the total of teachers involved in early education reached an excruciating
level. Male teachers avoided entering
such institutions because, real but mainly imagined, they could be tainted by
physically comforting distressed young children, or simply those who needed
encouragement. How much has society changed since the 1990s fear of any amity
with children? Some could look at last week's
views of teachers in a national radio programme that young children in their
first years of education are now more unruly, wantonly destructive and
intolerant than they were some years ago. They have blamed upbringing,
pinning recalcitrant children to the attitude of their parents. Yet, we could
also look at the way society has looked askance at the events of more than a
decade ago when, in a fearful climate, men teaching in such institutions were
anathema to the social mores. Who could blame male teachers for
not wanting even teach in such a climate? Are we seeing, in last week's
change in tone, a slightly fuzzier, more tolerant, less "we know
best" turn from the Government? Many feel (and one local identity
referred to this last year in a Review interview) that we are in fact being
PCed out of existence. Tolerance in society should start
from possibly a little more tolerance from the top. Finally, a word about the late
Walter Hadlee. While working in Wellington, I had
regular newspaper dealings from the courtly overlord of New Zealand cricket.
Usually, after meetings in Christchurch, Mr Hadlee would ring every Tuesday
night with a report which needed little or no editing. The notes turned into stories were
impeccable, as were his manners and his cricket pedigree. Mr Hadlee showed the patience of
Job in dealing with young reporters a true gentleman of his times. |
