There has been a total failure to promote the value and values of Public Education by the so-called State Education leaders during Education Week ( 6 - 12 May  2007).

There is nothing new about this. They have been failing to promote public education for countless months - indeed years.

No other organisation, or group or cause would or should tolerate the failure of a commitment to and promotion of their cause or organisation that we have had to endure in the administration of our State Education system.

What is even worse - and only ever commented on by the DOGS - is that for years and years politicians and bureaucrats placed in key positions in public education are and have been committed to ideas and organisations that are in direct opposition to the well being and values of Public Education.

Just look at the present Minister for Education, John Lenders, together with his Secretary for the Department of Education and Training  Dr. Peter Dawkins. In our Press Releases 154 at www.adogs.info/pr154.htm  and Press Release 155 at www.adogs.info/pr155.htm we have commented on Dr. Peter Dawkins.  We have expanded on the same theme for John Lenders in our Press Release 186 at www.adogs.info/pr186.htm  and Press Release 190 at www.adogs.info/pr190.htm. These two persons are a disaster for Public Education in Victoria.

John Lenders issued  two Press Releases during Education Week. These efforts illustrate his unsuitability for any Ministry dealing with Public Education. He promotes Education Week, not State Education Week. Whilst the Roman Catholic system can promote themselves in Catholic Education Week, and the Lutherans promote Lutheran Education Week, there is no longer any State Education Week. John Lenders should have a Ministry for Private Church administered Education.

What a miserable representative of State Education Week is John Lenders. At least the competition promote themselves and identifies their Week, but John Lenders is both incapable and/or unwilling to promote the value and values of our State Education System. He owes the parents and pupils in State Schools,  the community and the  taxpayers  an explanation.

EVIDENCE OF LENDERS' FAILURE

Lenders' Education Week lasted from 6 May to 12 May 2007. A reading of his two News Releases published during this week, together with his doorstop interview with Stephen Smith, the Federal Shadow Minister for Education ( very much in the shadow for public education) are bereft of any promotion of the value of Public Education. Nor is there any mention of  the values that underpin this cornerstone of our democratic community.

What else do you expect from these men when they are personally committed to and send their children to the rival sectarian, sectionalist, private system?

DOGS attempted to find out whether any of the educational bureaucrats such as Dr. Peter Dawkins, Darrell Fraser, the head of the Office of School Education, and his 9 regional directors were involved in the promotion of the value of, together with the values of public education. No evidence was found. If readers and/or  bureaucrats can enlighten us to the contrary, please let us know.

From the above commentary, readers should not be surprised , that Victoria's Public Education percentage share of pupil population has been and is being undermined by the failures of administrators of our system.

 Grass roots promoters of State Education resurrected State Education Week in the late 1980s with the slogan "State Schools are Great Schools." Neville Garner, a Primary School Principal was one of the chief organisers of the "State Schools are Great Schools" movement. He was supported by many teachers, parents and community members. He still writes tremendous letters to the newspapers in support of Public Education. What a pity he does not have Dr. Peter Dawkins or Darrell Fraser's position.

A large protest meeting in St. Kilda in The Palais decided to start State Education Week again. It had been abandoned by the so called leaders. BUT

STATE EDUCATION WEEK HAS BEEN HIJACKED

For the Minister, it has been reduced to "Education Week" so that the private church sector can muscle in on it. And muscle in they have - with  taxpayer assistance, - for glossy Advertisements.

For example, The Northern Times May 8, 2007 dedicated three pages to Education Week. On these pages there were four private school Advertisements and two public school Advertisements. The Advertorial for St. Joseph's Primary School Kerang had a headline that promotes the concept of "Values". There was no such promotion of the far superior value and values of public education by the Minister.

Similarly, the Moreland Leader for April 30, 2007 repeats the Northern Times pattern. There are six private church school  advertisements and only three for local public schools.

There had been no Public Education Day promoted by the Victorian bureaucrats or the Minister. Elsewhere in Australia May 17 was to be Public Education Day. The only sighting DOGS have noticed was on the website of the Victorian branch of the AEU. It was just there- it was not particularly prominent.

If readers wish to follow up Press Releases on the Value and Values of Public Education we refer them to Press Release 205 at www.adogs.info/pr205.htm  Press Release 193 at www.adogs.info/pr193.htm, Press Release 192 at www.adogs.info/pr192.htm and Press Release 191 at www.adogs.info/pr191.htm. In particular DOGS refer you to the eightfold definition of public education in Press Release 191.

The role of public education is so central to the existence of a viable, heterogeneous and democratic society, that it is the most important business in our civil Australian society.

PUT THE PUBLIC BACK INTO EDUCATION WEEK

 TELL PRIVATE CHURCH SCHOOLS INTERLOPERS TO

CLEAR OFF -

INTO THEIR OWN SECTARIAN WEEK!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

LISTEN TO THE DOGS RADIO PROGRAM

3CR 855 ON THE AM DIAL

12.30 p.m. ON Saturdays.