These are the tamariki we are talking about. Most of them do not know how to speak up for themselves against poor teachers and against poor schools. Some of them eventually just stop turning up, and who can blame them. It has always been clear to Te Paati Māori that the mainstream Pākehā education system fails our tamariki. It is racist by default. It is a hostile environment for Māori and especially for students from lower income families.