State-sponsored baloney

Ray Carr was a fine example of an active Skeptic.

Last year he noticed that the prospectus for East City Community Education (Auckland) offered a course in astrology. The prospectus even claimed the course leader (Robert Phillips, contributor of the Astrotrends column for More magazine) worked with "a scientific background".

Concerned that the public education system was being used to propagate pseudo-science, Ray wrote to the Eastern Secondary Schools Board. Although a reply was drafted on the Board's behalf by the local School Community Education Advisory Committee, the board decided to ignore Ray's letter, and despite a telephone call refused to discuss the matter further. (The board was later disbanded under the new management scheme for schools.)

Ray's follow-up brought the following elucidation from the then Department of Education:

Since 1987 it has been recommended that School Community Education Advisory Committees be established to assist the programme coordinators in setting up the programme and evaluating its progress. These programmes are then approved by the Board of Governors. There is no restriction on what classes are offered. If the demand is there to satisfy an expressed local need then the school has some responsibility to meet that need.

The official line "If the demand is there...the school has some responsibility to meet it" is questionable. What is meant by "some responsibility"? Would a demand for a course in witchcraft be met by a school?

Not just as Skeptics but as citizens, we have a responsibility to see the education authorities uphold high educational standards. This means ensuring that course content gives satisfactory coverage to factual critiques. Furthermore, misleading advertising should not be used.

Ray sent us the 1990 prospectus for Penrose High School Community Education which includes not only "Astrology for beginners"—and calls astrology "an exact science"—but also "Natural Health Therapies".

Readers aware of similar instances are urged to follow Ray Carr's example and take up their concern with the school board and local school community education advisory committee. Please copy us your letter. New Zealand Skeptic wishes to gauge the incidence of state-sponsored pseudo-science in New Zealand.

Note: In Skeptic No. 13 I criticised some of the courses the Wellington WEA was running. I am pleased to report I find its 1990 Winter Programme completely acceptable. "