New PPTA President "Outed"
The Post Primary Teacher's Association (PPTA) is unlikely to shed its image as NZ's most PC union with the election of new president Robin Duff.
A popular, senior English teacher at Christchurch's Burnside High School, Duff is an "icon" of the gay left and one of NZ's most active "change agents".
Robin Duff, left, at the "Out at Work" gay unionists conference in Sydney, 2002
Robin Duff was active in the Canterbury Mobilisation Committee against the Vietnam War in the early '70s. In 1971, he was also chairman of Canterbury University's campus socialist group, the Fabian Society.
In 1973, Duff served as president of the University of Canterbury Students Association.
In the mid '70s Duff was prominent in the eco-socialist Values Party and was the Party's first openly gay candidate in the 1978 election. Duff was also active in the late Rod Donald's Ecology Action network.
Gay Rights and socialism were Duff's main passions, however and he combined both as a leading member of the Gay Liberation Front. In August 1973 Duff addressed a Socialist Action League run forum at Canterbury Uni on the subject, "The Oppression of Gays".Duff also formed a Gay University Students Society (GUSS) with SAL Trotskyite, Lindsay Taylor.
During the late '70s Duff was a leader of the very radical National Gay Rights Coalition.
In the early '90s Duff brought gay activism into the High Schools with his "Gays and Lesbians Everywhere in Education" network. GLEE campaigned against "homophobia" and attempted to make secondary education a more "gay friendly" process.
In recent years Duff has been a leader of the Safe Schools Taskforce, which...
has been working for several years to provide resources and assistance for Boards of Trustees and teachers to make their schools a safer and more accepting place for staff and students of every sexuality. In undertaking this work, the Taskforce acknowledges that sexuality – especially among younger people – cannot always be positioned neatly within one category. There is a continuum which may see people identifying themselves at different stages, depending on where they are at and who they may be with at the time. Homophobia can be demonstrated towards anybody, even those who identify as exclusively heterosexual. It is a problem for everybody, and one which schools must address.
In 2005, Duff was also active in the "Safety in Schools for Queers" campaign, representing the PPTA.
Don't expect much positive change to come out of the PCPTA...PPTA in the next couple of years.
A popular, senior English teacher at Christchurch's Burnside High School, Duff is an "icon" of the gay left and one of NZ's most active "change agents".
Robin Duff, left, at the "Out at Work" gay unionists conference in Sydney, 2002
Robin Duff was active in the Canterbury Mobilisation Committee against the Vietnam War in the early '70s. In 1971, he was also chairman of Canterbury University's campus socialist group, the Fabian Society.
In 1973, Duff served as president of the University of Canterbury Students Association.
In the mid '70s Duff was prominent in the eco-socialist Values Party and was the Party's first openly gay candidate in the 1978 election. Duff was also active in the late Rod Donald's Ecology Action network.
Gay Rights and socialism were Duff's main passions, however and he combined both as a leading member of the Gay Liberation Front. In August 1973 Duff addressed a Socialist Action League run forum at Canterbury Uni on the subject, "The Oppression of Gays".Duff also formed a Gay University Students Society (GUSS) with SAL Trotskyite, Lindsay Taylor.
During the late '70s Duff was a leader of the very radical National Gay Rights Coalition.
In the early '90s Duff brought gay activism into the High Schools with his "Gays and Lesbians Everywhere in Education" network. GLEE campaigned against "homophobia" and attempted to make secondary education a more "gay friendly" process.
In recent years Duff has been a leader of the Safe Schools Taskforce, which...
has been working for several years to provide resources and assistance for Boards of Trustees and teachers to make their schools a safer and more accepting place for staff and students of every sexuality. In undertaking this work, the Taskforce acknowledges that sexuality – especially among younger people – cannot always be positioned neatly within one category. There is a continuum which may see people identifying themselves at different stages, depending on where they are at and who they may be with at the time. Homophobia can be demonstrated towards anybody, even those who identify as exclusively heterosexual. It is a problem for everybody, and one which schools must address.
In 2005, Duff was also active in the "Safety in Schools for Queers" campaign, representing the PPTA.
Don't expect much positive change to come out of the PCPTA...PPTA in the next couple of years.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
10/19/2006 11:39:00 AM
8 Comments:
No, we should have a completely parent controlled education system so that parents can decide what their kids are taught.
Trying to put words in my mouth anon?
My problem is with Duff's socialism, rather than his sexuality.
In a free country, where parents control the education system, some may have a problem with Duff's poltics and or sexuality and may wish to exclude him.
Others may think he would be an asset to their school and may invite him to promote his views.
That would be the parents call. That's how I think it should be.
What do you think anon?
Well done Trev.
Duff's minority sexuality counts only because he has made a career of it as an activist.
The issue is that teachers are the stronghold of the far Left. They also run Labour since it abandoned its blue-collar values.
Clark, Mallard, Benson-Pope ... what superb politicians teachers have given us.
Bust the left monopoly on our kids with a voucher system!
Talk about pinko politicians.
How many more ways can you be pink?
Robin Duff sounds like a good guy to me.
Duff personifies the current Labour-Left from the top down - teacher, street protester, and as often as not a gay. At least Duff is out of the closet.
Why are so many activist gays left wing? Non-activist gays are often middle of the road or even right wing in politics.
Perhaps being gay is incidental to Duff's need to stay protesting all his life.
Heh gay students! You don't have to follow Duff into radicalism and socialism!
You have the same political choices as everyone else.
And the commies and the masons and the Martians...........
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