[Matt T]

Hi

Originally Posted by Juju

I would more lean to the side that they didn't want to give away internal documents to a random internet guy who didn't want to explain anything about his request other than "I want it".

Most schools didn't have an actual written policy on balls that they could send. The majority got the point that I was talking more about procedures than written policy and just answered the questions.

I think they were assuming I was from the media and were going to spin whatever they told me into a story.

It's kind of sad that either they have that sort of relationship with the media, or that when talking about homophobia etc. they immediately put their guard up.

Originally Posted by [WanG] Wandarah

Unlike others, I think this kid could probably do with a letter-writing-in-the-adult-world course.

Offering?

Originally Posted by [WanG] Wandarah

In the second, I'd lose the bit reminding them what the OIA is, and what will happen if they don't comply with his request. I'd also include a contact number, and ask for the same if they have any further questions.

My intention was “hey guise, this OIA thing is real!!@@”. Clearly things turn out better in my mind.

I purposely didn't give a phone number because getting 200 calls from principals doesn't seem like a fun time, and because I go to school so the hours that they would try to call would likely cross over with time I'm meant to be learning. Keeping track of what we talked about without always being beside a computer with a spreadsheet open would have been difficult too.

Also, I wanted their responses in writing because then I wouldn't get what they were meaning wrong.

Originally Posted by [Malks] Pixie

I had one agency send me (actually the person I was assisting with their OIA) the information we requested in hardcopy, light grey 2pt font (18 pages of it) - simply because they didn't like the intended us of the information because it had the potential to reflect badly on them. The irony in that situation was the information they provided actually reflected well on them.

Who says public servants don't have fun?

Originally Posted by cEvin

Interesting read, wonder when he's going to post the legit replies, if ever?
Surely some schools deserve some kudos, or were they ALL cagey?

This was a lazy filler post. A lot of schools responded to the questions and those replies are coming.

Originally Posted by Juju

Here I was reading it to see what the replies were with the schools that did give him the information, but instead it was his holier-than-thou, I know more about the OIA than you do, wankish going on about how the schools responded to his overly aggresive email.

Anyone that would actually use the OIA for it's intended purpose (Actual research where they publish/research the results of the query and not the personal responses to the method the query was asked) would have happily answered the logical questions most of the schools asked ("Who are you?") in a polite and civilised manner.

The guy seems a complete dick.

Edit: So he says he will release the actual responses to the request in the coming weeks. I Still don't see the need or point of this blog post.

I weighed up seeming like a dick with wanting to make sure the post didn't spread incorrect assumptions about the OIA.

I thought that those personal replies were interesting because they showed how much education schools got about the OIA and because they showed what some schools thought about transparency.

In most cases I replied back nicely to the ‘who are you?’ questions. Or at least I think I was nice. This whole thing has shown me how varied different peoples interpretation of writing is.

It seemed like a bit of a waste to request all of this information and then not share it.

Originally Posted by [WanG] Wandarah

How do the schools know he is a) in New Zealand, or b) a New Zealand citizen overseas?

*fears cyc beating…*

This is a really good point. If that's what they wanted to know I think they would have been more direct than a ‘who are you?’ question though. But in all honesty, I don't think most would have been aware of that requirement in the OIA.