Wither Charter Schools?

Press Release 678

                                   AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT

SCHOOLS

 

PRESS RELEASE 678#

 

WITHER CHARTER SCHOOLS ?

 

AUSTRALIA , AMERICA AND ENGLAND

 

Birmingham and the Corruption of Gonski

Press Release 673

The declaration of Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham that a fix is needed on Gonski ‘corruption’ is correct. He even ( on Q & A 26/09/16) admitted to awareness of the ‘overfunding of wealthy schools’. But he has got the wrong end of the stick entirely.

The corruption of all Needs policies since the Karmel Report of 1973 has always been the outrageous diversion of money to the wealthy schools run by the religious institutions while the poor in public schools go begging. Nobody has been prepared to take on the biggest multinationals of all – the religious lobby.

The Reality and the Rhetoric Behind Educational Inequality

Press Release 670

Most of the commentary and debate in mainstream think tanks, interest groups, and political debates circle around the issue of growing educational inequalities.

The effects of inequalities, - if any are acknowledged - will have upon the national economy take centre stage. The political elite are waking up to the fact that their ‘globalisation’ ‘trickle down’ rhetoric has not convinced vast swathes of disadvantaged, disaffected voters. Hence the Brexit, Trump, and ‘Independents in the Senate’ phenomenon. As the wealthy avoid tax, the middle classes are hollowed out, the poor fall further into poverty and homelessness, and the ‘economy’, our democracy, and our children suffer. Educational deprivation and the running down of public education is part of a much bigger picture.
Academics, think tank commentariats, and politicians happily get bogged down in “To fund, or not to fund” debates.
Nobody is prepared to be politically incorrect and take on the ‘poor parish school’ myth perpetuated by the religious lobby. They seem incapable of working out why our nineteenth century forebears centralised public education, stopped State Aid and increased equality of opportunity.