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The Forum > Article Comments > Equity in education is worth fighting for > Comments

Equity in education is worth fighting for : Comments

By Jenny Miller and Joel Windle, published 17/4/2013

Imagine a race where the runners with the highest level of material, technical, physical, social and emotional advantages were given a huge head start, while those who were struggling with basic survival were placed way behind the starting gate.

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A good article - the central theme of equality in education is one that no reasonable person can deny. Sadly, the well meant efforts of the Gillard government to redress the balance in this regard has, like so many Gillard government initiatives, stumbled on the implementation. The guarantee that no school - regardless of affluence - will lose money in the new financing arrangements will very likely be its undoing. An omelette necessitates broken eggs.
Posted by GYM-FISH, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 7:10:59 AM
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It has become apparent that education institutes, just like banks, sell products.
Posted by unblvabl, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 8:12:43 AM
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Thanks for the great article. Thanks for pointing out the sheer immorality of "public-private" schools that charge exorbitant fees, exclude many young Australians from entrance but still put their hands out for public funding. While the Government's belated and gradual implementation of Gonski is a step in the right direction, it is too small, too gradual and disappointingly late.

It was also great to see somebody call out the "money-doesn't-matter" crowd. Whenever this lot actually talks about improving schools it turns out their proposals require money. Exhibit A - Ben Jensen, whose incoherence would be funny if it wan't dangerous: http://grattan.edu.au/static/files/assets/38cebb8a/189_jensen_oped_weekendaustralian_schooled.pdf .

On the Latham 2004 proposals (mostly to redirect funding from high-fee to low-fee privates), it is always worth acknowledging that the available evidence suggests they were popular - http://inside.org.au/lathams-list-was-a-hit-in-the-polls .
Posted by TomGreenwell, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 8:28:59 AM
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Every student deserves a decent education, and the government is obliged to ensure that each student has access to it. The government is also obliged to provide to do this in the most efficient manner for the tax dollar.

The comparison between Knox which gets government funding of about $3000 per student, but charges fees of about $25 000, with a public school that gets funding of $12 500 per student with no parent contribution, is idiotic. It is like comparing someone that has a Porsche to someone that uses a bus and suggesting that the government is obliged to give everyone a Porsche.

The parents that send their kids to top private schools are not just paying for education to the curriculum, but for music, sports and generally a far broader scope of experience for their kids.

Getting rid of government subsidies would close most independent schools and add a huge burden to the public purse. The net result would be reduction in money available per public student and a worsening of results.

Equality by bringing everyone down to a lower level is what happened in the old European eastern block, and is why it eventually collapsed.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 8:40:35 AM
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The article is preoccupied with so-called "rich" schools and how advantaged they are. More pertinent is that there are some parents who put their hands in their pockets to give their kids the best education they can afford, and others who demand free education from the State.

A fair way of providing more funding to government schools would be for the better off parents to pay fees. This of course will never happen because of the likely outcry from those affected.

We hear a lot about advantaged private schools and how much better off they are compared with government schools. What gets less attention is the contrast government schools in well heeled suburbs (where the Chardonnay socialists send their kids for free) and poor performing government schools in disadvantaged areas.
Posted by Bren, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 9:42:48 AM
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Shadow Minister;
You state; "The comparison between Knox which gets government funding of about $3000 per student, but charges fees of about $25 000, with a public school that gets funding of $12 500 per student with no parent contribution, is idiotic".

No it wasn't. What was idiotic was your statement that removal the government subsidy to independent schools would cause them all to close. How would removal of $3000 of "cream" cause Knox to close? Or Kings or any of the other schools charging well above $12,500 pa?

One thing that really annoyed me about a TV program that included video of Knox students arriving at school was the students "dipping their lids" to some authoritarian figure on arrival.

Unearned respect for tradition and authority has no place in education. Teaching young students to be inquisitive and how to evaluate evidence is what education should be about. Considerate of the views of others in any discussion is important but respect for authority, simply because those in authority claim that they are entitled to exercise that authority, slows the development of the youthful individuals own capabilities.

Respect has to be earned and the better teachers earn that respect. The best teacher in my local comprehensive high school could not pause in his classroom at the end of a lesson if a meal break was due because, if he did, senior year students would waylay him just to talk and enjoy his company. I once asked him how he maintained such excellent discipline in class. He replied, "They quickly learn that I keep count."

This issue is not about equality; it is about equality of opportunity.
Posted by Foyle, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 9:43:23 AM
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