Ministry of Education, Te Pakiaka Tanga-a – Pastoral Care Guidelines
Yes, teachers and the school counsellor should recognise your identity and find ways to support you through affirming your culture.
This is explained by the Ministry of Education’s pastoral care guidelines for schools. Schools are expected to make sure counselling is “culturally-responsive”, which means referring to knowledge from your culture, experiences, and world views to guide conversation and activities.
For example, if you are Māori, the school counsellor should understand your whakapapa, what things are important to you and your whānau. If you give them permission, they could also contact your kaumatua for guidance.
If a teacher, staff member, or counsellor makes racist comments, this is unacceptable and goes against the school’s responsibility to create a safe environment.
For more information, see “Discrimination” later in this chapter