Talking about chucking "360's"... Why are petrol prices so high again this holiday season?

Rudd gave me and everyone I've spoken to the expectation he'd stop that from happening and that he'd keep petrol prices down, with his "prices Commissioner".

Looks like 'we will have lots of talk, hype and media opportunities, but no change in direction' in that area as well.

A warning of things to come.

Hey Kip

I voted Liberal, had my son educated in a public school in the English liberal traditions, with one exception German instead of latin. Next year he'll complete his double degree of Engineering ( Electrical and Computer) and Applied Science (Mathematics)with a GPA of at least 6. I oversaw his primary and secondary tuition. In spite of some teachers but with the active co-operation of most others I made sure his English comprehension and numeracy skills were such he would be able to attain the intellect necessary to achieve high standard not only academically and socially but also intectually and practically.

Can you say the same of yours or have they been craddled to accept the lower standards on offer with the current state based education systems? Labor systems that have lowered the standards on both literacy and numeracy and have led to the explosion of University courses in 'everthing'.

Oh just in case you think the young man lucky or 'bright' at age 8, when he returned to live with me from his mother, after 6 years in NZ, he was well behind his cohort in both literacy and numeracy. Needless to say at 12 in year 8 he was starting to catch up and at 22 has far excelled many of his peers whose labor voting parents once scorned the way I meddled in his and their kids educations. I see them often and love the situation of the 'turned tables'. Where once they crowed about their kids we never speak of them now. Theirs or mine but we all know...for we've witnessed the results of my 'meddling'.

Themistocles,

I do not see evidence that the teacher unions have had the power to ‘keep intact the status quo of the postmodernist and PC superstructures that they have built on the edifice of the educational system that prevent the development of curricula founded on reason that would attract people with merit to enter the teaching profession’.

You may not be able to give me specific evidence in 350 words, but you could give me some references to something concrete, not just another person saying the same old thing without actual evidence. I have looked at the website you mention, but there is no actual evidence there.

I do not see any concentration of union power in government schools on curriculum. I was a teacher unionist for 33 years, and I cannot remember an occasion when a union branch in school discussed curriculum, though I am sure it must have happened occasionally. The union branch concentrated on the conditions of its members.

Curriculum is determined by state authorities (which may have some small union representation on them, but not always) and by decisions by schools and individual teachers, not by unions. The myth that teacher unions decide curriculum seems to be based on people repeating what other people have said in an infinite circular motion.

The pupil-teacher ratio is not too high because of a shortage of teachers but because of 1) government funding policies that cut the staffing of schools in Victoria (1992 on) and 2) government funding policies that have failed to sufficiently reverse those funding cuts (1999 on).

Kevin Rudd will have no trouble whatsoever from teacher unions in his ‘revolution’. In fact, my reading of the ALP’s national curriculum policy suggests that it will be based on reason. The trendy left does not run modern the ALP.

Chris C

You are right of course about my poverty of concrete evidence. Bur where evidence is lacking logic comes to its rescue. Before I touch on that, I admit that I should have been clearer on the issue. I am not suggesting for a moment that the teachers union determines the curriculum. I do say that the teachers union is defender of the status quo because that is where its strength lies. And this strength, as I assume you know, is CONCENTRATED in government schools, not in private ones.

Now to the rescue of logic. Being ‘a teacher unionist for 33 years’, surely you must know of the professionally incestuous relation that exists for years now between the teachers union, state authorities, industrial tribunals, schools, and individual teachers. It’s this infinite circle of touching hands, to paraphrase you, which determines the overall policies and curricula of mainly government schools. And it’s because of this incestuous relation between all these “loving” bodies that the union often endorses ‘pathetic EBAs,’ as you stated in your first post.

And of course I am aware that the “trendy left” will “not run the modern ALP” made in the image of Kevin 07. But there are many incestuous trends within the ALP and its industrial affiliates and that is where the problem lies

Themistocles,

I do not think the teachers union is a defender of the status quo at all. In my experience, it has spent decades trying to change the status quo.

There are some individuals who move between the union and the curriculum authorities, the universities and the department, but very few. I am aware of only one who ever moved from the teacher union to an industrial tribunal. Most curriculum is decided in schools, often by individual teachers in individual classrooms.

The union endorses pathetic EBAs because teachers are industrially naive and weak. Teachers get to vote on the union-endorsed deals. They can always say no, but they never do.

Secular Education since the election I have seen the light.
I now realise that Religous Teachings divide all people and Nations. We spent far too much money subsidising Religous Schools why should Tax Payers foot the bill so that our Children become brainwashed by religion. Teaching Religion is a waste of time and money. Unfortunately we have too many Policians pushing Religion that s their belief but I do not see any reason why the taxpayer should have to pay for it.