Stupid zoning policies

I went to Island Bay Primary School for six years. It was a great school and I had a great time there being a goody goody who was not just bell monitor, but tuckshop supervisor, road crossing person, assistant teacher with the primers etc etc.

Anyway it seems to still be a great school, because more and more parents want their kids to attend. But alas out centrally controlled education system can’t allow a school to become popular and keep expanding its size, if there are other schools with capacity. Nope parents can’t have a choice – they must be sent to the other school.

So the Ministry of Education is going to shrink the Island Bay school zone. Mothers like Leonie Wilson who are fifth generation Island Bay will not be guaranteed to be able to have her two year old attend Island Bay Primary along with her older sister.

Island Bay Primary School has the space for extra classrooms. It should be allowed to expand, rather than force local kids to go to other schools.