The national association of Māori language schools has announced it is supporting a mother’s legal fight to have her daughter attend reo Māori schooling.
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa has been meeting for its AGM in Auckland.
The deputy chair, Rawiri Wright, says they want to ensure the value of reo Māori education is considered in the mother’s High Court appeal next month.
“We are praying that there is a place for one of us, one of our own experts to go to speak to the High Court to provide some understanding,” said Mr Wright.
This week Māori Television's Native Affairs broke the story about a Family Court decision to remove a seven year old girl from kura kaupapa in favour of mainstream schooling.
The Māori mother wants her daughter to continue to learn her Māori language in a cultural environment. The Pākehā father feels excluded and wants to be involved in his daughter's education.
Mr Wright said he believed the majority of Māori schools strive to provide support for all parents to learn the Māori language.
“Under total immersion the whole family is involved. That's what total immersion is all about. To others it's just about language, not the depth, height or breadth of the language and its customs,” he said.