Can somebody tell me under what constitutional authority does the federal government have to stick its nose into state affairs.

Or is it that the corrupt leading the gullible is ok.

People are always complaining about rights and here we go again, just throwing them away.

JohnJ
It seems that there are plans to add to the Myschool website by the end of the year, with data relating to school funding. That data will include the fees charged by private schools, and how much funding is being provided by state and federal governments.

The (teacher’s) theory that educational outcomes depend on the socio-economic background of the students is rather suspect, (and may instead be something straight out of a teacher’s excuse manual).

Australia had 18 years of economic growth, during which time student marks declined on a national basis.

The theory is also easily put to the test in certain co-ed schools, where there can be a major difference in the mark’s of boy and girl students. Unfortunately, both the boy and girl students come from the same economic background.

In such circumstances, teacher’s attitudes and teaching practices definitely appear to be much more important than the socio-economic background of the students.

Vanna,

I wonder to what extent children's performance correlates with their socio-economic status AND their teachers' expectations ?

In other words, is the AEU (and those who oppose publication of performance data) the greatest champion of the socio-economic status quo, of the notion that children should learn to know their place in society ?

Left-wing ? I don't think so.

Joe Lane

Loudmouth,
I understand your point. Exactly where are these lower socio-economic status children.

I know of two public secondary schools located in the same electorate. One is a small school located in a town where parent income is static, and probably below average for the country. It has 39% of grade 12 students going into university.

The other public secondary school is twice the size and located in a town that is booming, with coal mining the main industry, and $100 per hour jobs are quite common. It has 14% of grade 12 students going into university.

I don’t know how this fits teacher’s theory, or perhaps the theory is too convenient (ie. No real efforts need be undertaken, as the students come from a lower socio-economic background).

Mikk:

'Bring back the inclusive, comprehensive public school system we used to have and get rid of the elitist, expensive and indoctrinating private and religious schools that are scamming us and the system and dividing the community.'

Some perceptive and ineffably true words amongst a pile of rubbish. The commentary here reflects nothing so much as the ruling paradigm or 'frame' in which education is discussed/debated and wastefully and punitively tooled around with by politicians and lobbyists. It's all about 'choice' for the 'aspirationals'; education has been turned into a consumer commodity, a personal economic benefit rather than a national investment. Finland seems to lead the OECD in literacy, numeracy and science, according to testing, yet has a system completely free of national testing and league tables. It decisively pursues equality (and eschews 'choice') for all students; the teachers must have masters' degrees and are well paid and respected. Private schools are down to a 5% rump, mainly religious and Steiner-based, and receive the same grant as the public schools. In return they must charge no fees and accept all students who seek entry! School education in Finland is comptetely free - even classroom resources, books, stationery and students' lunches are provided. Here, even the poorest parents are asked for hundreds of dollars. Finnish society does not embrace socialism, but it does insist on educational equality; it does not submit its teachers to the sort of insinuations one finds here: that an article can be dismissed because, after all, it's just another teacher seeking to avoid being exposed as incompetent.

There is one blazing question for all politicians and parents who shun the public school system, one that is, surprisingly, rarely asked and never, unsurprisingly, answered: Why must we have an education system that simply does not provide every student with equality of opportunity? The name-and-shame tripe that is myschool does not answer this question, nor will it redress the wrong.

Well said Rapscallion. My point exactly. We dont need "choice". We need every school to be the best and every student given the best opportunity to reach their potential.
The current system is divisive and is leading to a breakdown of our egalitarian society and becoming more like a perverted version of English class stratification. The rise of snobbery, yobishness and great wealth driven elitism (all signs of class identity) is undeniable in recent years and our current schooling system will only exacerbate these trends.