In a Speech in August 1998, the Victorian Minister for Education, Mr Gude, announced in relation to a new school  in the new suburb of Caroline Springs that

" School provision in the suburb will be different from anywhere in Australia. I have having discussions with the Catholic and Independent sectors with a view to having a single integrated educational facility in the region with possibly one Principal heading the whole school. Imagine the advantages in terms of breadth of curriculum and administrative support available."

DOGS calls upon Mr Gude to abandon the negotiations with Church officials.

This proposition is probably the most plausible and disarming proposal to strengthen church schools and weaken public schools yet developed.

It is a wrong road leading to a wrong destination for those interested in good public policy.

The Caroline Springs hybrid school proposal is an experiment which, if commenced and continued::

• will lead to the maintenance and expansion of church schools
• offer the opportunity for church schools to divide more communities, not less
• assist in maintaining and expanding a wasteful multiplicity of church schools
• assist in the inefficient use of resources in education
• assist in the further downgrading of the public school system
• will lead to captured government schools
• will debase the ideal of the public school and the free, secular and universal public school system

The proposal is being promoted bas having considerable cost benefits.

DOGS point out that if Mr Gude and the Church Schools were genuinely interested in the efficient use of public money in education then they would not fund the myriads of church schools which duplicate State School facilities.

And if they were genuinely interested to give ALL of our children educational opportunities then they would be promoting the welfare of a State system which is open to all children, parents and teachers regardless of their race, religion or ability to pay - namely the State system of education!

IF MR GUDE WANTS INTEGRATION WHY DOESN'T HE  STRONGLY PROMOTE THE ONLY SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH INTEGRATES CHILDREN:

THE STATE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION?

DOGS HAVE YET TO HEAR MR GUDE PROMOTE THE IDEALS AND VALUE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION!