Tim Beveridge: The school principal who deserves the New Year's Honours

In a few days' time, on New Year’s Eve, we’re going to learn who the recipients of the New Year’s Honours will be.

So, I thought I’d get in early, so it doesn’t look like I’m undermining any of the fine New Zealanders who have been chosen for those honours.

Before then, I want to highlight a couple of New Zealanders who, for different reasons, are worthy of recognition as outstanding contributors to our country.

My first choice is someone who might not be widely known to many of you—although she popped up in the media spotlight a week or two ago when the New Zealand Herald wrote about her retirement from a prominent New Zealand school after a 40+ year career in education.

That person is the retiring principal of Baradene College, Sandy Pasley.

Now, I’m not entirely sure Sandy would want to be singled out, so in making these comments, I’m also begging her forgiveness while at the same time acknowledging the years of dedication and hard work she has put into her role as an educator. From my own personal experience, Sandy at once impressed me when we first met as someone with a great deal of empathy and compassion for her students.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
In a few days time, on New Year's Eve, we're
going to learn who the recipients of the New Year's
Honors are going to be. So I thought i'd get
in early because I don't want to look like I'm
undermining any of the fine New Zealanders who will have
been chosen for those honors. So before then I wanted
to highlight a couple of New Zealanders. I will be
highlighting a couple of New Zealanders, should I say, but

(00:37):
right now just one who, but for different reasons, are
worthy of recognition as outstanding contributors to our country. My
first choice is something someone who might not be widely
known to many of you, although she popped up in
the media spotlight of a week or two ago when
the New Zealand Herald wrote about her retirement from a
prominent New Zealand school after what is more than a

(00:59):
forty plus year career in education. And that person is
the retiring principle of Barradine College, Sandy Pasley. I'm not
entirely sure that Sandy would want to be singled out,
So I making these comments, I'm also begging her forgiveness,
but also acknowledging the years of dedication and hard work
she's put into her role as an educator. When I

(01:21):
first met her, Sandy at once impressed me as someone
with a great deal of empathy and compassion for her students.
And acknowledging Sandy though, it's also an opportunity I wanted
to take to highlight and celebrate the contribution of all
those involved in educating our children, because sadly, respect and

(01:44):
support for teachers and the place we the value we
place on education, I think has greatly diminished over the years.
So in recognizing Sandy's incredible contribution, I want to remind
us of the tireless efforts of all the dedicated, hard
working teachers who show up each and every day for
our children. And why do they do it? Well, it's
obviously not for the money, is it?

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Why? Then?

Speaker 2 (02:06):
My best guess is because making a different to the
future of those children's futures gives meaning to their own lives.
Over the years, I've done thousands of hours of talkback
on news talks. He'd be and it might not surprise
you to learn that sometimes the airwaves can serve as
a bit of a punching bag for teachers and education
in general. But you won't hear a rebuttal from teachers
because frankly, they're too busy doing what teaching. So I

(02:31):
just thought I'd take a chance to put in a
vote not just for Sandy Pawsley, but also for those
like her and for an unappreciated profession one that is
a society we need to place far more value and
trust in. Education should be the forefront of every New
Zealander's mind. If we care about the future of this country.

(02:52):
Sure we're going to have passionate discussions and disagreements about
the nature of the curriculum and the challenges of educating
our young people. It's only natural. But regardless of those debates,
dedicated teachers just like Sandy will turn up every day
at the coal face to do their bit for the
future of our young people. And as Sandy Pasley said
his self, education is everything that gives people a future,

(03:14):
and who can argue with that.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
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