DOGS offer the following information and advice to new chums in the battle for public education in Australia. Many of our oldest supporters started off bright eyed, bushy tailed, naive and trusting of our political and legal system - not to mention the public education pressure groups in the 1960s. We offer the following advice to new chums on the basis of some of our many and varied experiences

• The ALP is even more deceitful and dangerous than the Liberals for public education.  In the last two decades, both at he federal and state levels their role has been to set the scene to enable the Liberals to have a launching pad to do far worse.The Kennett Government did public school supporters a favour by blatantly revealing his  privatisation agenda. They revealed their end game with startling clarity. They succeeded to a certain extent in galvanising State School teachers, parents and the community into action for the 1999 Victorian election. The Bracks Government has taken the State School vote for granted ever since. Beware of the final check-mate by the "DLP" Bracks government.

• Do not make the mistake to think that persons in leadership positions within public education are committed in word and deed to public education. We have been fighting for public education since the 1960’s in Victoria. We are not aware of any statements in support of the public education system from any of the Ministers of Education or any of the Directors Generals of Education. It is ridiculous that there is no requirement for public education employees to be committed to public education in word and deed. Whereas private schools require commitment.

• Public education is at its lowest ebb since 1872. In 1872 the public school percentage share of pupil population was 82.04%. In 1972 the percentage share was 75.82% and in 2005 it was 64.97%(lowest ever). Public school percentage has declined for every year of the Brack’s ALP rule.

• Check out the public school pressure groups. Find out what collective wisdom they have and what they are doing to defend the public education system. Unfortunately in Victoria we have had some shockers in leadership positions.

• Public education in Australia would have already gone if it was not for the strength of the pressure groups in NSW - in particular the NSW Teachers Federation which has held the line when others wanted to abandon the education system as we know it.

• Do not confuse leadership with people occupying leadership positions.

• Realise that the local public school will not survive without the strong backing of a dedicated public education system.

• Do not be caught up in the processes and discussion papers which  focus on people not systems.

• One of the church schools faction greatest abilities is using words to their own advantage. Witness the 1970s Karmel Report, and the Schools Commission Needs Policy, not to mention Howard's SES version of "Needs".  There is simply too many weasel words for the church Schools Faction and jelly backs in the press and academia to play with.

• The Public Education System is the cornerstone of our Liberal democratic heterogeneous society.

• Do not look to the media to assist in the fight for public education nor for valuable argument and information.

• Do not look to academia for public education promoters and fighters. The very best were kept out of academia in the 1970s by the work of the church schools faction and their friends.

• One of the best actions the Minister for Education could do for Public Education would be to make the present faculties of Education at Melbourne, Monash and La Trobe  sub-branches of the Education faculty at the Australian Catholic University and to make a fresh start with newly structured education faculties at Melbourne, Monash and La Trobe.

• Do not be afraid of being labeled sectarian, divisive, or anti-Catholic. The name calling is used to get knee-jerk reactions and try to create fear and smear so you will not fight strongly for public education and against the private school system.

• Do not give up the fight for public education whatever the odds. Take the advise of one of the arch enemies of Public Education Dr Daniel Mannix
  . . . “the deadliest enemy of the poor, their one fatal flaw, is to have the mind of a slave. The ruling classes may have them down in the gutter with a foot on their necks, but the poor are never beaten until they accept that foot.

   . . “I have never stopped speaking about (State Aid) in all the years during which I have been here. But I thought that I had wasted my time . . . I haven’t wasted my time . . . but we do not owe it to anything I have done. We owe it to the men who
  stuck to their guns.

   

• Do not think you can get proper public accountability from the church school system, such an idea is a sick joke.

• Do not expect too much from current "Official" histories on State Aid.  It is interesting to note that one of the first actions for cost cutting in the Cain ALP government in the 1980s was the Education Department’s history section.

• Do not rely on the current Federal Government's taxpayer financed Official History of State Aid.
   

It is time to get rid of the uncommitted, the time servers, the careerist, the opportunist and the agent or acolyte of the church school faction, from the public education system and only have those who are committed to word and deed involved in the public education system.
 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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