the one above was meant for another thread. Sorry.

Moderator is welcome to remove it from this thread, of course, as well as this notification.

Russty

Education rebates are yet another example of 'Big Government' patronising us by giving us a very little of our money back... but gambling on the fact that most of us won't jump through their hoops to get it.
Can we have more efficient government, less intrusive government, and more of our own money in our pocket, please?
Increasing the tax-free threshold as per the Henry recommendations would be a start in helping those in government get their self-respect back.

As an aside, I just don't get the whole 'uniforms are too expensive' argument.
I mean, we have to dress our children in something.
Uniforms tend to be a similar price to other items of children's clothing, and often they are of good quality, and long wearing.
Most uniform shops have second-hand sections, if you are motivated and organised, so that you buy the correct item in the correct size when it becomes available.
Additionally, the uniforms are generally designed to wear well, so that they are almost always suitable to hand on to your next child.

There is actually a requirement that uniforms are affordable and approved by the P & C. I'm not sure what level this comes from - whether it is legislated, a rule of EQ or part of some other level of school governance - but it is required of all state schools that their uniforms are affordable to people of their catchment area. For that reason, schools in rich suburbs can enforce a more expensive uniform than schools in poorer areas - provided that they have the backing of the P & C.

I certainly support the idea of school uniforms. They put kids on the same visible playing field (though they tend to become experts in the prices of various shoe brands); they establish a connection between the student and the school; they enforce minimum standards of presentation (though the rolling of skirts and, at my current school, shorts is a crafty attempt to sidestep modesty requirements); and they help to distinguish between students and outsiders. In schools with as many as 2,100 students (becoming more common in this state) that is often the only way teachers can tell who should and shouldn't be on the grounds. Of course, the last point is weakened when you can buy uniforms from a range of stores outside the school without showing evidence that you are a student. This is the case in Townsville - something I find very strange.