September 06, 2020
Gardiner-Parata to review Waikato Uni racism charge
The University of Waikato has asked power couple Sir Wira Gardiner, and Hekia Parata, a former education minister, to review claims of casual and structural racism.
The pair, a former Te Puni Kōkiri head and a former education minister, have also been asked to review the university’s progress in meeting its Treaty of Waitangi obligations, and in particular, the University’s programmes to support Māori students, to attract and retain Māori staff, to integrate mātauranga Māori into its academic programmes and promote Te Ao Māori in the life of the University.
The complaints were contained in a 13-page letter to the Ministry of Education by leading academics which cited lower pay for Māori staff, laying off of Maori staff, reorganising faculties to reduce Maori independence and the lack of an indigenous advancement plan.
One of the signatories, Maori studies professor Pou Temara, says the fight is bringing out the warrior in him.
He says signing the letter felt like bringing a taiaha to nuclear war, with the university having a huge amount of power.
"Intimidated though we are, frightened though we are, afraid, all we have is the DNA in our blood that says we will resist, we will rise, we will get past our fears and we will fight back," Professor Temara says.
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