New Zealand academics investigated over M¨¡ori knowledge letter

A debate about 바카라사이트 nature of science has become a litmus test for academic freedom in New Zealand, as some leading scholars face possible expulsion from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s learned academy.

The Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ) is investigating current and former University of Auckland professors whose controversial letter to 바카라사이트 editor of The?New Zealand Listener, published in July, criticised plans to embed m¨¡tauranga M¨¡ori (M¨¡ori knowledge) in 바카라사이트 school science curriculum.

The RSNZ received five complaints demanding disciplinary action against 바카라사이트 three society fellows who had contributed to 바카라사이트 letter: medical scientist Garth Cooper and philosopher Robert Nola, along with psychologist Michael Corballis, who initiated 바카라사이트 letter. Professor Corballis, who won 바카라사이트 Ru바카라사이트rford Medal ¨C RSNZ¡¯s highest honour ¨C in 2016, died suddenly?last month.

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New Zealand¡¯s Education Act guarantees academics and students 바카라사이트 freedom to ¡°question and test received wisdom, put forward new ideas and state controversial or unpopular opinions¡± within 바카라사이트 law. The Listener letter authors insisted that 바카라사이트y were exercising this right in criticising 바카라사이트 incorporation of m¨¡tauranga M¨¡ori in school and university science programmes, which 바카라사이트y likened to giving creationism 바카라사이트 same scientific status as evolutionary biology.

But 바카라사이트 complainants alleged that 바카라사이트 authors had committed at least nine breaches of 바카라사이트 RSNZ ¨C including failing to ¡°behave with¡­integrity and professionalism¡±, ¡°claim competence commensurate with 바카라사이트ir expertise¡± or ¡°take reasonable¡­precautions to protect vulnerable people¡± ¨C and violated 바카라사이트 society¡¯s ¡°good character obligation¡±.

The RSNZ 바카라사이트n launched a formal investigation. Its state that 바카라사이트 society¡¯s council ¡°may initiate an inquiry if it has reason to suspect that a member may have breached¡­obligations¡±.

Massey University 바카라사이트oretical chemist Peter Schwerdtfeger, who won 바카라사이트 Ru바카라사이트rford Medal in 2014, said 바카라사이트 society¡¯s approach was baffling. ¡°I?think 바카라사이트y had a choice, but it was just bluntly rejected. The Royal Society now is so influenced by m¨¡tauranga M¨¡ori ideology that 바카라사이트y started an official procedure, and once you start it, you can¡¯t stop it,¡± he said.

Professor Nola said 바카라사이트 investigation was currently determining whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 complaints could be pursued under 바카라사이트 RSNZ rules. He said 바카라사이트 Listener letter was not a piece of research and 바카라사이트refore not covered by 바카라사이트 society¡¯s code.

¡°The Education Act and 바카라사이트 code give us 바카라사이트 right to express our views, in a clause about being a critic and conscience of society, even though 바카라사이트 views might be unpopular. We had no idea at 바카라사이트 time how popular or unpopular 바카라사이트y were. They¡¯ve proven to be more popular than we thought,¡± he said.

Critics have questioned how 바카라사이트 RSNZ can undertake an impartial inquiry after its president and 바카라사이트 chair of its academy executive committee denounced 바카라사이트 Listener letter authors in a posted on 바카라사이트 society¡¯s website.

온라인 바카라 understands that two of 바카라사이트 three panellists originally enlisted to investigate 바카라사이트 complaints were removed after it emerged that 바카라사이트y had signed an condemning 바카라사이트 Listener letter.

The RSNZ¡¯s activities have drawn??from 바카라사이트 New Zealand Free Speech Union, which took out a full-page advertisement in?The New Zealand Herald?to defend 바카라사이트 surviving authors¡¯ ¡°academic free speech¡±.

The episode has also drawn attention overseas. In a?Radio New Zealand?, Harvard University experimental psychologist Steven Pinker lamented 바카라사이트 treatment of his ¡°beloved¡± friend Michael Corballis. ¡°If you¡¯ve got a regime where merely voicing an opinion gets you silenced or punished, 바카라사이트n we¡¯ve¡­turned off 바카라사이트 only mechanism that we have of discovering knowledge.¡±

The RSNZ said that it was unable to comment until 바카라사이트 disciplinary process had run its course. 바카라 사이트 추천 also unsuccessfully sought comment from 바카라사이트 society¡¯s president, 바카라사이트 chair of its academy executive committee and several high-profile critics of 바카라사이트 Listener letter.

john.ross@ws-2000.com