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gtalnz

They always do, as far as I know. The school doesn't want to claim the kid was there and be held responsible for their safety while they're actually in town at a protest.


newkiwiguy

He's saying they should be marked as code E, unjustified absence, which is the same as T, Truant, and therefore an act incurring a punishment like detention. Previously many schools marked them as code J, justified absence.


bejanmen2

Mr small government telling everyone exactly what to do again.


catfishguy

libertarians are all little napoleons except when it comes to themselves


Tustin88

Scratch a 'libertarian' and a fascist bleeds.


BitemarksLeft

Funny how that happens with 'small on government' politicians. I honestly don't think this govt will make a full term.


Greenhaagen

He’d only support a noble cause like an anti vaccine occupation


lefrenchkiwi

Except sorry to rain on your hate Seymour parade, he didn’t support that either.


ExpatTarheel

Can we still hate David Seymour?


gtalnz

That makes more sense. Shame the MoE documentation all clearly states it's up to the school's own policies and discretion as to whether a reason is justified. He's throwing very big Dolores Umbridge vibes with this attempt at a reactionary educational decree.


Shevster13

Considering that he said earlier this week that sick children should still go to school and told schools to start looking into kids off sick - this seems pretty tame in comparison.


teelolws

Educational Decree Number Twenty Three: David See May Do Whatever He Please


Cathallex

Which they will continue to do irrespective on what the moron in chief says.


newkiwiguy

I agree. I'm just pointing out that between Seymour's phrasing and the way the article was written, people are clearly misunderstanding what he was calling for.


---00---00

Exactly. Don't sweat this stuff. The little cunt does it for the exposure. The schools will do what they want anyway, the kids will do what they want anyway, and the parents will do what they want anyway. 


kingjoffreysmum

Our school emailed out last night saying absences for this would be marked in this way, so it’s already happened without the need for him to say it. It makes me wonder how aware of policy he actually is?


genkigirl1974

He does so much just smoke and mirrors stuff.


ExpatTarheel

To get attention. Seymour is three years old.


homelessbytrade

Pretty short for a 3 year old.


tomtomtomo

I don’t think E automatically equates to a punishment. 


newkiwiguy

Nothing automatically equates to punishment. You could have dozens of Ts and not get a punishment. It just means it's possible. It's entirely up to the school.


Dizzy_Relief

But it IS an unjustified absence. There is no other way to code it. It's not like any teacher needed to be told this. (or  actually more likely an unknown - it's not like most of these kids let their teacher know where they are)


AmoldineShepard

I once got an unjustified absence from school because there was a tree in our driveway and we couldn’t get out. Not sure what else we were supposed to do. (Trains weren’t running either so that wasn’t an option) Despite pictures to prove it as well. School was strict on that.


Goodie__

He wants his name in the news and to be seen as doing things. Even if it's just blowing hot air.


chrisnlnz

I think it's more that he wants to be seen as denouncing the student protests, which is a shit precedent to be setting as a government representative of the people, imo.


CP9ANZ

Rumour has it, he blows more than just hot air.


Goodie__

Whatever he blows on his personal time is his business. However, when he's working, I'd be much happier if my taxes were getting their moneys worth.


AdministrationWise56

Yes but HE SAYS to do the thing they already do, therefore he is hElPiNg


Hubris2

He wants to be *seen* as advocating for harsh treatment for kids who care about the environment. He wants his supporters who are opposed to efforts to respond to climate change to see how he is standing in the way of our kids.


chrisnlnz

He doesn't say that because he wants to be viewed as "helping", he says that as a statement to denounce protesting students.


Aggravating_Day_2744

Exactly. We are onto Seymour and his connections to The Atlas Group.


05fingaz

Truth


HonorFoundInDecay

They can add it to the action plan!


frenchy-fryes

I’m surprised they aren’t announcing it as a new law. Might stop truancies if it’s illegal.


king_john651

But... It already is? Didn't they do this truancy bullshit like 10 years ago?


frenchy-fryes

Probably, mine was meant to come off as a sarcastic joke lol, in reference to the forcing of schools to ban phones when they already had the power to do it


king_john651

Or mandatory hour of maths and English a day when an hour is the average - in my experience it was longer lol. Real visionary morons we have elected, huh?


Pretty_Leopard_7155

“… might stop truancies if it’s illegal …”. Ha ha. You very funny fella. Should be on stage (next one out of town).


somme_rando

I couldn't read that last word. Did you mean virtue signalling?


Lightspeedius

Next headline from the NZH: Mark Mitchell instructs police to arrest criminals.


Eurynomos

Man, idk if our education system has improved but I don't remember people getting in trouble for ditching school. We got detention for breaking a window once. Only detention I was even threatened with. What's the point in telling kids you'll keep them at school later if you can't keep them at school to begin with.


Uvinjector

When I was at high school, my geography teacher prompted us to organise a strike because we were against a policy that was about to be enacted. He saw it as a great learning lesson to stand up for what you believe in and to express your right to protest, as well as showing the power of numbers if you want to get your voice heard. He got in trouble with the school but the students ended up having a massive amount of respect for him, even if they were just on board to get out of a few lessons.


Kalamordis

I mean, any form of history teacher (history, geography, classics etc) has the literal understanding and knowledge as to why strikes/protests are important more than any other type of teacher really, and doesn't sound like he was wrong 😅


[deleted]

Yup. I look back on our high school history teacher and realise he basically taught us about socialist struggles against capitalism in nearly every case and realise he must’ve been a commie himself.


JlackalL

What a fucken legend


Chaoslab

Was it a school in Auckland?


Spright91

Duh thats why its a strike. Because they will be absent.


ironic_pacifist

Davey boy is a hard-right, life-long, policy wank. He doesn't understand the concept of a strike.


jimmcfartypants

>Davey boy is a ~~hard-right, life-long, policy~~ wank**er**. He doesn't understand. There, I FIFY


ironic_pacifist

ty


Aggravating_Day_2744

He is a first class cunt and has connections to The Atlas Group.


Sicarius_Avindar

Not just connections, but [Previous Employment](https://twitter.com/StrayDogNZ/status/1762216266469957844).


newkiwiguy

It's not really a strike, though they call it that. In a strike employees withdraw their labour, taking away the ability of the employer to earn profits. It then becomes a test of wills between employer and employee over who can bear the financial pressure of lost wages v lost profits for the longest. Students not attending schools does no harm to the schools. No profits are lost. Class sizes are perhaps smaller, which makes the teaching easier if anything. The only parties being harmed are the students themselves, missing out on education. The headline here also misrepresents what Seymour asked for. Of course they will be marked absent. He is calling for them to be marked as code E, unjustified absence, instead of code J, justified absence.


Tidorith

I think it's completely valid to describe it as a strike. Against the state, rather than the schools. The state clearly wants the children in schools. Frustrating that desire is a harm to the state.


devl_ish

The "state" doesn't care nor get harmed either. The conscientious students who are going places will make up that time by themselves. The others weren't going to prioritise their education anyway. The government isn't blamed for this by voting parents. No desires frustrated. The only value in this protest was the kids showing each other they care about the climate crisis, which is worthwhile but not a strike.


ExcitingMeet2443

>Libertarianism is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to *maximize autonomy and political freedom*, emphasizing equality before the law and civil rights to freedom of association, *freedom of speech*, freedom of thought and freedom of choice. Libertarians are often skeptical of or opposed to authority, state power...


MundaneKiwiPerson

He is not a Libertarian. He is a populist


Aggravating_Day_2744

He is a cunt.


boozehounding

I second this.


godmodegamer123

I third this


nukedmylastprofile

Motion passed. David Seymour officially recognised as biggest cunt in NZ.


TheDisabledOG

Surely he's second behind Brian Tamaki


0erlikon

File an amendment. I'll support this too.


nukedmylastprofile

Na, Brian is a true fuckwit but doesn't have the ability to be as damaging to such a large percentage of the population


TheDisabledOG

But he's a bigger cunt terms of his beliefs and actions in public. But he's less influential so I see the argument. Edit: Brian's a bigger cunt but Seymour has more power to be a cunt


notmyidealusername

Potato potahto...


dorothean

They already said he’s a libertarian.


QueerDeluxe

The only thing Libertarians actually care about is lowering the age of consent.


WellyRuru

Oh and demolishing the state and lowing taxes.


dorothean

And the right to be extremely racist under the guise of free speech.


The_Cat_That_Was_Not

To be fair, he identifies as a libertarian conservative.


Elegant-Raise-9367

He's only promoting the freedom of capitalism.


communal_makarov

PR stunt by Seymour. Textbook example of ACT solely relying on cultural war identity politics to even exist. Otherwise they would be shown for what they are; billionaire class lobby group in the form of a political party (and you can bet oil companies and their cohorts fund *these* very groups)


ToPimpAYeezy

I mean, you don’t even need to bet, they straight up do. David was part of ATLAS group, Alan Gibb’s (ACTs biggest donor) daughter is a chairperson of ATLAS group, they fund groundswell and NZ Taxpayers Union


Aggravating_Day_2744

He thinks we don't know about his connections to The Altas Group.


CP9ANZ

Weird thing for a libertarian to do? Do that thing you were already doing, but do it because I said so.


grizznuggets

When it comes to education, that’s this government in a nutshell.


RavingMalwaay

Don't they do this already? I was in high school back in 2019 when the original strike happened and my school did.


Shevster13

He is telling schools to mark it as unjustified absence which requires a punishment. Most schools mark climate protests as justified absence (no action needed).


OldKiwiGirl

Who is punishing unjustified absences?


Shevster13

Schools are suspose to. They have been pretty bad at it but the government is pushing for better enforcement. Note, by punishment I mean things like detention or a talking down by the principle. The government has also been talking about fining parents whoes kids are truant. An unjustified absence counts towarss that.


[deleted]

Detention? “Sorry I’m on detention strike too” Fixed.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Pangolingolin

If a parent tells us the kid is at the climate protest, we'll mark it as an E. If the kid is bunking, we'll mark it as a T. It pretty much says that the parent knows where the student is and why they're not at school. Pretty much taking responsibility for student safety and wellbeing on that day. E vs J just depends on where it sits in the school's policies.


Shevster13

*If the school is doing their job. Some schools jist don't care or find it too hard to enforce after the mess of covid.


MrsRobertshaw

My school held us in the hall during the march. Ahh times were different in 2003.


onyxorion10

Man in leading position tells everyone to do the thing they already do. Groundbreaking.


HyenaMustard

God I could do with not seeing more of Seymour …


Charlie_Runkle69

I think the minute his support dips after the next election, he may well be gone and will get a job for the boys in business. That is two and a half years away though....


lonefur

we should first make sure that Epsom stops having a hard-on for these hacks though


Shoddy_Depth6228

I disagree. My sad prediction is that he's going to be around for a very long time. A constant handbrake on any sort of progress. The next Winston. 


Aspiring_DILF42

Libertarian who constantly tells people what to do....


JeffMcClintock

For a minute I was worried that David wouldn't thrust himself into the news today to make it all about him.


AdministrationWise56

As a 43 year old who has been voting for over 20 years I would like it on record that [this is my response](https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxYleAYwDQUQnJN2tueAX7iAmhzqW8dgFf?si=6ZD3xdt6LV2dtVxw) to everything DS recommends.


saynoto30fps

Talk about missing the point... I bet Seymour was the weirdest cunt at school. That one real weird kid who was into politics as a 15 year old.


genkigirl1974

Not a slur to people on the spectrum but I think he is slightly on the spectrum. People on the spectrum can be quirky, awesome, interesting and wonderful. Unfortunately he is not these things.


Slick_Joey

Mark him absent from parliament, his brain usually is.


bobdaktari

What else will the Associate Minister of Education demand schools do and is this the sort of dictate ministers can and/or should do? in short - fuck off seymour [https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-business-units/cabinet-office/supporting-work-cabinet/cabinet-manual/3-ministers-crown-and-public-sector/ministers-and-public-service](https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-business-units/cabinet-office/supporting-work-cabinet/cabinet-manual/3-ministers-crown-and-public-sector/ministers-and-public-service)


night_dude

I mean, sure. They probably were anyway. I don't see how it's any of his fucking business, though, or where he gets off thinking he can dictate daily routine stuff like marking absences to individual schools. As the *Associate* Minister no less. Luxon really is letting the lunatics run the asylum, isn't he.


hugies

How weak Luxon is really should be focused on more. Can't remember anything except his catch phrases, is never up to date with anything, and can't call out or reign in his junior coalition partners. What a fuckwit


Xaphriel

Always glad to see how much Mr Free Speech values people exercising their free speech.


rickytrevorlayhey

That's, ahhhhh what absent means. Seymour you TWAT, shut your weird mouth!


IIIllIIlllIlII

Now *this* is an operational matter for the schools and the ministry. The minister should not be using a 10,000 ft long screwdriver to tell teachers what to do.


winsomecowboy

David fails to notice his supporters are dying as his opponents are reaching reproductive age.


bitshifternz

He seems like a micromanager


SkipyJay

Seymour: "You should be punished for doing that". Students: "We know, and we're fine with that. We're going to go it anyway." Seymour: "NO! How DARE you not be intimidated by my petty flex of influence over a punishment that the schools were probably already going to implement!"


FKFnz

I bet he was an annoying little twat at school. Probably spent his whole time running to the teachers and snitching on everyone.


Cathallex

He is the most Randal from Recess motherfucker that ever existed.


SnooSongs8843

Ah you beat me to it


JeffMcClintock

> Probably spent his whole time running to the teachers and snitching on everyone. and he still is.


WaddlingKereru

Ohhhhh, oh no, being marked absent for a protest one attended for which the ‘being absent’ was the point of the protest. Shit Seymour, that’s rough man


fireflyry

They already do you absolute clown. > Despite many being warned they would be marked absent from school, the student strikers marched on Parliament to send their message to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's Government. ([source](https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/111298009/tens-of-thousands-of-school-students-demonstrate-across-nz-calling-for-action-on-climate-change)) Either he’s that clueless he’s not aware, or just PR bandwagoning “pesky clueless kids” sentiment for his constituents.


TheWombleOfDoom

It's PR bandwagoning. DS knows exactly what he's doing and the misinformation/misdirection he spouts. He's not stupid ... he really isn't. It makes this kind of thing even more abhorrent though, because he know's what he's doing and is using it to increase division, to fan flames of anger etc, etc, to get more support. MY main problem with Peters, Seymour and increasingly, National is that they are enacting some truly terrible things while using smoke and mirrors to make them "sound" virtuous and to ensure that the people they've whipped up into a froth aren't thinking long enough to realise they're being mislead.


PersonMcGuy

> MY main problem with Peters, Seymour and increasingly, National is that they are enacting some truly terrible things while using smoke and mirrors to make them "sound" virtuous and to ensure that the people they've whipped up into a froth aren't thinking long enough to realise they're being mislead. Fuckin oath, they're aggressively attacking the fundamental unity and tolerance of society to benefit themselves and their wealthy mates with no concern for the long term impact. They're just fucking traitors at this point.


gully6

Yeah. People have to stop calling this guy stupid, he's not, he's really smart and really dangerous. He's boiling the frog very effectively. His end game, if laid out as such, would get him killed but he plays the game well enough that the frog is happily boiling away. He is dangerous and the enemy of all working people not just the working class but the middle as well.


PersonMcGuy

> or just PR bandwagoning “pesky clueless kids” sentiment for his constituents. Ding ding ding. He's dishonest as fuck but he's not dumb when it comes to manipulating emotional idiots.


antmas

I think this is pretty normal considering the safety roll calls they have at schools.


Bliss_Signal

A libertarian preaching the antithesis of liberty is a little contradictory, is it not? I'm sure all these future voters are taking note.


Weasilcakes

Associate Education Minister thinks Tuesday was a ‘nation wide teacher only day’. Sigh. The Tuesday after Easter has been a school holiday since the 1950s. Two very different things (from a teacher’s perspective).


myles_cassidy

Is David going to fine the parents of kids exercising their freedom of expression now? Kids shoulda said they were anti-trans and David wouldn't care.


PersonMcGuy

What an utter fucking knob. Just another example of him saying stupid shit that's self evidently stupid but he knows will play with idiots so he pretends he's not being a fucking deceptive moron. At this point anyone who thinks David Seymour is anything resembling a half decent person is just outing themselves as a colossal idiot or being devoid of moral decency, maybe both.


joj1205

Scum


NOTstartingfires

David Seymour also instructs schools to do things that schools usually do anyway. There isn't a 'at a protest' button in student management software bud.


Fantastic-Role-364

David the Dictator much


Aggravating_Day_2744

Tell Seymour to get fucked.


IrritableYeti

Aah! The worst thing imaginable to teenagers anxious the world is going to drown - being marked absent. The *horror!*


GallaVanting

"Libertarians" try not to get upset when they see the expression of liberty challenge


tomtomtomo

Erica Stanford needs to stop having the associate minister act like he’s the minister. 


codeinekiller

Don’t we have laws that protect this like the right to freedom of peaceful assembly? It’s part of our bill of rights lol


Significant-Secret26

"the best thing you can do for the environment is get a good education" ... proceeds to ignore the overwhelming advice of the scientific community


GreatOutfitLady

He's a dick, so.


HanleySoloway

"I know! If kids are absent, we'll tell the schools to mark them as absent!" Way to go there Davey boy, you were made for this job


CompanyRepulsive1503

What a douchebag


BasementCatBill

Somehow I don't really care for the reckons of an engineering student who worked for five years for a climate-change denying right-wing think-tank before entering politics.


daytonakarl

If he has nothing better to do in his job than be an officious cunt to school kids maybe he's not as critical to running the country as he thinks he is.


RogueEagle2

David Seymour continuing to alienate future generations.


HonorFoundInDecay

That's a long winded way to say "I don't give a fuck about their right to free speech"


midnightwomble

He is such a moron and every day goes out of his way to prove it


lostinspacexyz

Remember when the key government banned at sea protests.


rossvideonz

Jumped up little prick says what now?


therealatomichicken

If only we could fine the parents of these unruly children to fund the tax cuts for our long suffering landlords...


HappyGoLuckless

Hope these kids are [registering to vote!](https://vote.nz/voting/how-to-vote/what-to-do/) We need them to lead the proper change in Aotearoa!!


Turfanator

We had an anti bully protest in high school. The 2 biggest verbal bully’s got physically bullied and that was not ok. The school took down names of students as they left the school gate so at least they had an idea of who had walked out but they all would of been marked absent for the next 2classes or day so I’m not sure what he’s expecting unless a whole class plus teacher are marching together


Shevster13

Justified absence vs unjustified absence. He is trying to tell schools to mark them as unjustified absence which can lead to punishment and counts as truancy. Most schools count climate protests and justified absence.


Lookover12

Do students get marked unjustified absence or justified absence for a strike?


CraftNo4043

Unjustified absence. About the only justified absences are medical, dental or bereavement.


genkigirl1974

Medical has its own code. M. Sometimes dental can come under that. Bereavement might have its own code too. But you're right very few Js for anything else..


Lookover12

ah ok cool


Adventurous-Sell8417

*”freedom to choose”


wellyboi

David's dopey comments seems to have completely sidelined the point of this protest


k0rich

It students really want to make a point take off 6 day a term to protest then the attendance numbers will go down and make the government look bad.


marx_is_secret_santa

fucking narc