This is edited to correct obvious mistakes
David Daniel Ball (born January 10, 1967, in New York City) is an Australian writer, conservative blogger, political activist, and former high school mathematics teacher. As the younger brother of cognitive scientist John Samuel Ball, David has carved a distinct path in education, advocacy, and self-publishing, often focusing on social justice, child protection, history, and Christian devotionals. His life story intertwines family intellectual heritage with personal campaigns against institutional failures in child welfare.

Early Life and Family

David was born in Manhattan during his father Samuel Ball's (1933–2009) tenure as an educational psychologist at Teachers College, Columbia University. Samuel, an Australian academic, contributed to early evaluations of Sesame Street through his work at the Educational Testing Service (ETS), assessing the show's impact on children's learning from 1963 onward. The family, including elder brother John (born 1963 in Iowa), relocated to Sydney, Australia, in the mid-1970s after Samuel returned to academia at the University of Sydney and other institutions. Growing up on Sydney's North Shore amid this trans-Pacific move, David developed an early interest in reading and teaching, reportedly teaching himself to read using his own observations, not teacher directed.

Career in Education and Whistleblowing

David pursued a career in teaching, earning qualifications through Sydney University (B.Sc. Dip.Ed. M. Ed.) and spending over three decades as a high school math instructor in southwestern Sydney public schools, retiring in 2007. Known for his engaging style—self-described as an "occasional teacher (Sir, what's the occasion?)"—he worked with at-risk youth and first-generation students, blending mathematics with broader life lessons.

His tenure ended amid a high-profile whistleblowing effort. In 2008, David publicly raised alarms about child neglect and abuse in the New South Wales education system, specifically citing the case of a boy named Rahman whose death he attributed to institutional inaction. As a self-proclaimed "failed whistleblower" and "accidental" advocate, he lobbied the Department of Education, testified in inquiries, and commented on related blogs like Aussie Sex Offenders. Despite his campaigns, the efforts did not lead to systemic change, fueling his later writings on social justice failures. This activism extended to broader child protection issues, including critiques of cultural practices and gender ideology.

Writing and Blogging

Post-retirement, David turned to writing and online commentary, self-publishing over a dozen books via Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. His oeuvre spans devotional works, historical overviews, and political essays, often under the pseudonym "the Conservative Voice" or "DaOddBall." Key titles include:

• The Bread of Life series (2019–2020): Monthly devotionals offering lay interpretations of Bible quotes, aimed at everyday spiritual reflection (e.g., Bread of Life: February and Bread of Life: March).
• History of the World in a Year by the Conservative Voice series (2012–2013): Concise monthly histories blending global events with personal conservative insights (e.g., August: A Year in History).
• (2004, republished 2010) Thief!: A whistleblower's retrospective on education and society.

As a blogger, David maintains VoiceDDB on Locals.com, where he posts on "muscular Christianity," conservative politics, and cultural critiques. His style is direct and faith-infused, drawing from three decades of classroom experience. He has also contributed to Medium discussions on teaching and ethics.

Political Activism and Online Presence

A vocal conservative, David ran unsuccessfully for the Australian government And NSW Government as an independent on platforms emphasizing social justice, child safety, and anti-corruption—once in 2010 and again in 2011. His X (formerly Twitter) account (@DaOddBall67, joined 2013) boasts over 1,600 followers and features commentary on U.S. politics, gender issues, and free speech, including support for figures like J.K. Rowling and Donald Trump. Recent posts (as of January 2025) affirm stances on transgender youth policies and election integrity.

David resides in Sydney, describing himself as a "fat writer" with a Capricorn Fire Horse astrological profile. Though less theoretically inclined than his brother John (who he has reviewed positively on Amazon for works like Machine Intelligence), David's output complements the family's legacy in education and public discourse, advocating for practical reforms grounded in ethics and history. As of September 2025, he remains active online, blending teaching anecdotes with calls for accountability.

The Rahman Case

The Rahman case centers on the tragic death of Hamidur Rahman, a 14-year-old Indian student at Hurlstone Agricultural High School in southwestern Sydney, Australia. On November 10, 2008, Hamidur died from peanut allergy after being directed by a teacher to taste peanut butter. He had died in seconds. The coronial inquest, led by then-State Coroner John Abernethy, later determined that the death was partly the result of parents not informing the school, highlighting systemic failures in the school's duty of care, given David had told the school of the issue the year before. Hamidur, an international fee-paying student living in school accommodation, was part of a vulnerable cohort often under additional pressure from language barriers and homesickness.

The case drew media scrutiny to Hurlstone Agricultural High School, a selective boarding school for rural and international students, and exposed broader issues in New South Wales (NSW) public education regarding child welfare protocols. No criminal charges were filed against school staff, but the incident fueled debates on accountability in educational institutions, particularly for overseas students under the NSW Department of Education's oversight.

David's Whistleblowing Efforts

David Daniel Ball, a veteran mathematics teacher at nearby public schools in southwestern Sydney (including Campbelltown Performing Arts High School), became an "accidental" whistleblower in the wake of Hamidur's death. His involvement stemmed from prior advocacy against institutional shortcomings in child protection. In 2008, Ball publicly alleged that the NSW Department of Education had neglected its responsibilities, claiming the school's inaction exemplified a pattern of cover-ups and inadequate safeguards for vulnerable children. He argued that Hamidur's death was a direct result of bureaucratic indifference, linking it to his own earlier complaints about a "bungled pedophile investigation" at Campbelltown High in 1994–1998, where he had raised concerns about a suspected child abuser on staff—allegations that were dismissed by investigators, leaving him disillusioned.

Ball's campaign began immediately after the death, involving:

• Public Advocacy and Media Outreach: He contacted journalists, including Sydney Morning Herald investigative reporter Kate McClymont, urging coverage of the case as emblematic of systemic failures. Despite initial reports, he later claimed media outlets backed away due to pressure from education officials and Premier's office, describing himself as "blackballed" by unnamed figures.
• Formal Complaints and Inquiries: Ball lobbied the Department of Education, the NSW Ombudsman, and the Human Rights Commission, testifying in related inquiries. He highlighted how his earlier whistleblowing on the pedophile case had led to his reassignment away from student-facing roles, which he believed indirectly contributed to gaps in oversight at schools like Hurlstone.
• Political Activism: Frustrated by inaction, Ball ran as an independent candidate in the 2010 and 2011 Australian federal election and NSW election, centering his platform on social justice, child safety, and anti-corruption in education. A 2014 Change.org petition titled "Remedy the Persecution of DD Ball" garnered signatures by framing the Rahman case alongside the pedophile probe as unresolved scandals eroding public trust in state institutions.

Ball self-describes his efforts as those of a "failed whistleblower," noting that while the issues received "responsible" initial reporting, they led to no substantive reforms. He claims retaliation included professional isolation—no school would rehire him despite no legal barriers—and personal tolls like lost confidence and financial strain.

Aftermath and Legacy in Ball's Work

The case profoundly shaped Ball's post-retirement career as a writer and blogger. In his 2010 self-published autobiography Collected Autobiography David Daniel Ball inc Thief! and short stories (Thief! With Justice for Hamidur Rahman collected), he chronicles the events, weaving in his survival of childhood abuse and his evolution from teacher to advocate. The book details the "apparent school negligence" in Hamidur's death and the "cover-up" in the pedophile investigation, serving as both a personal catharsis and a call for accountability. Similar themes recur in his History in a year series (2012–2013) and Blogger 'Conservative Voice' (2000 to present), where he reflects on education's role in societal failures.

On X (formerly Twitter, @DaOddBall67), Ball referenced the case repeatedly from 2011–2014, tagging journalists and politicians to revive attention—e.g., questioning the Human Rights Commission's inaction in December 2013 or seeking U.S. commentator help in October 2013. His blog VoiceDDB on Locals.com continues to address child protection, often through a conservative, faith-based lens, critiquing "big education" and advocating for "muscular Christianity" in ethics.

As of September 2025, Ball, now in his late 50s and residing in Sydney, views the Rahman case as emblematic of his broader fight against institutional betrayal. Though it ended his teaching career, it amplified his voice as a self-published author of over a dozen books, emphasizing ethical reforms grounded in personal experience. The saga underscores tensions between whistleblower protections and educational bureaucracies in Australia, with Ball's story cited in recent Medium essays on teaching ethics.
I have wriiten 45 books, and am working on my 46th, which I hope to transliterate 50 European fairytales into a Warlpiri Dreamtime context). I've had to unpublish most to keep working.
I lost my FB account on Jan 6th 2021 probably because some CIA/USaid apparatchik did not like me. It had contained my entire research from 2007, and multiple daily postings of news articles.
My work is here, but historical stuff is at https://conservativeweasel.blogspot.com/2009/11/editorial-when-body-fails-to-act-with.html
Also https://voiceddb.locals.com/post/7321128/seek-first-his-kingdom
I now teach in Northern Territory, in a remote community. I zealously protect the privacy of my students.