Maxim Institute - real issues - No 254 24 May 2007 www.maxim.org.nz

Stranger than fiction Boys in cars Extending excellence in schools

IN THE NEWS OECD opens up possibility of new members Physical discipline over the ditch

STRANGER THAN FICTION

In a move so startling that it almost seems like science fiction, the British Government has published a draft Bill which would allow people to obtain licences to create 'inter-species embryos.' If passed into law, the Bill would mean that scientists could carry out procedures such as 'mixing [human] sperm with the egg of a hamster, or other animal.'

A complete ban on the production of human-animal hybrids was issued by the Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, in December last year. The release of the Human Tissues and Embryos (Draft) Bill represents a complete reversal of this position, caused by pressure from the scientific community. The decision was made by the Government to follow the recommendations of the Science and Technology Committee, which advocated for the use of 'inter-species embryos' for the purposes of scientific research. They believe that the creation of these embryos would allow further research to be undertaken to find cures for diseases, and could yield further insights into fertilisation and issues such as infertility, miscarriages and genetic abnormalities.

The Bill will now be referred to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny. If it does eventually pass into law, it would allow the creation of animal-human embryos, which could be kept alive and experimented on for a maximum of 14 days. The creation of these embryos involves processes such as the fertilisation of a human egg with the sperm of an animal, or the genetic modification of a human embryo by adding DNA from an animal. Licences to carry out this type of research could be issued if the creation and proposed use of these embryos was deemed 'necessary or desirable' by an appointed authority.

While the draft Bill still has a long journey ahead of it before it can be passed into law, it is disturbing that the British Government is willing to even consider it.

Read the Human Tissues and Embryos (Draft) Bill

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BOYS IN CARS

The recent debate over 'boy racers' has re-focused attention on young people---mostly young men---and their cars, which they drive too fast, too dangerously and at anti-social hours. Indeed, teenage driving in general is not flash; in spite of recent improvements, the Ministry of Transport estimates that 15-19 year olds are 'seven times more likely to crash (per 100 million kilometres driven) than drivers in the 45-49 year old age group,' and that 'of all young drivers involved in fatal crashes between 2003 and 2005, 78 percent were male.'

It is hardly news that young men like to drive fast, or that they like cars---boys will, after all, be boys. But the recent upswing in attention on boy racers reveals a sub-culture which can tell us a lot about what young men want out of life. Boy racing culture, buttressed by films like The Fast and the Furious franchise, validates competition, affirms masculinity, channels aggression and contest and for many, even provides a sense of purpose and achievement. Of course, it also affirms anti-social rebellion, destructiveness, dangerous driving and adolescent angst, attributes which necessitate a hard line against boy racing.

Intimidation, noise, disturbance, physical injury and the other inevitable by-products of boy racing require that we stand against the boy racers, take their cars away and condemn them for their bad behaviour. But we also need to ask what it is about our culture that means young men refuse to channel their natural competitive impulse into something healthy.

In a culture where we need safety mats to climb trees and competitive examinations are looked at askance, in a culture where physicality has to be regulated, and family breakdown is removing so many fathers from homes, in a culture in which we are not even sure what masculinity is any more, is it any wonder that so many young men are reaching for a sphere in which they can excel, and give vent to impulses which do not find another, healthier channel? Young men are seeking affirmation as men. They are finding that affirmation and the modelling of manhood and identity in the boy racer culture, with hugely damaging consequences for the whole community. While we take the hard line, we should also ask the question, 'Where else can they get it?'

Read the Ministry of Transport Fact Sheet on young drivers

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EXTENDING EXCELLENCE IN SCHOOLS

The Ministry of Education is giving $12 million dollars to 170 schools this year towards the Extending High Standards Across Schools (EHSAS) programme, an initiative to raise pupil achievement. Now in its second year, the initiative supports successful schools financially so that they can develop and share their proven approach to teaching and learning with other schools. EHSAS is a good example of encouraging schools to share their expertise, but much more could be done to expand opportunities for schools to work together to raise pupil achievement.

EHSAS focuses on encouraging collaboration and fostering professional networks between teachers and schools. Helping schools to work together improves teaching practices and shares experience and expertise. Teacher quality is an important determinant of pupil achievement---research shows teachers account for 30 percent of the variation in pupil achievement outcomes. Further, successful schools are generally ones where teachers use student achievement data to monitor how they are going, and to improve their teaching practices.

While the Education Minister, Steve Maharey, has praised the benefits of 'working together, rather than in isolation' through EHSAS, he could be even bolder in the area of collaboration and partnership between schools to improve educational opportunities and outcomes.

In England, for example, schools have the option under the Education Act 2002 to federate. A school federation is an agreement across two or more schools to create either a single governing body or a joint committee to deal with issues such as school management, curriculum and teaching. The federated schools can then share their particular strengths with each other. These might be specialist teachers, extra-curricular activities or remedial programmes in literacy and numeracy. The legislation is flexible, meaning that schools can decide how much they want to share governance and management structures.

New Zealand has only made tentative steps towards allowing schools greater freedom to co-operate and break free from the one-size-fits-all mentality that grips school management and operations. One example is the successful Achievement in Multicultural High Schools (AIMHI) programme, a group of nine decile one urban secondary schools with large proportions of Maori and Pacific Island pupils, which have co-operated together to improve achievement. But these examples are too few and far between.

Creating more opportunities for schools to co-operate or form partnerships is one promising way to improve teaching, reducing the wide disparity and dulling uniformity among schools in New Zealand.

ENDS

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