Announcement of Private School Stack by Gillard

On 15 April 2008, the Hon. Julia Gillard announced the membership of the Rudd Government's National Curriculum Board. It is a typical stack by Rudd proving that the ALP has long since been overtaken by DLP type politicians.

Appointments

Public Education and public schools are neither referred to as even existing. Nor are they given even one position on this Board. Private school interests on the other hand have been given three positions directly. They are

1. Garry Le Duff ,  Executive Director of the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia

2. Dr. Brian Croke, Executive Director of the Catholic Education Commission of New South Wales and a Member of the National Catholic Education Commission.

3. Professor Marie Emmitt, Dean of Education, Australian Catholic University Adelaide.

The two key positions of Chair and Deputy Chair had already been given to Professor Barry McGaw and Mr Tony Mackay. Neither of these persons can be described as a friend of public education. In particular, Tony Mackay has enjoyed strong connections with the private school sector. In earlier news releases DOGS have described the pedigree of these two persons.  For Dr. Barry McGaw see  Press Release 239 at www.adogs.info/pr239.htm and for Tony Mackay see Press Release 241 at www.adogs.info/pr241.htm.

Blatant Connection with Private Schools.

As a result of a quick Goggle search, we present the following curriculum vitae of the three private/church representatives on the National Curriculum Board .

1. Garry Le Duff: Executive Director Association of Independent Schools of South Australia . The South Australian Independent Schools Board (ISB) was formed in 1974 and is now AISSA to represent and promote the diverse interests of non-government independent schools... the AISSA is an advocate for non-government independent school education.

2. Dr. Brian Croke: Executive Director, Catholic Education Commission New South Wales. The Commission was established by the Bishops of NSW in 1974 and is responsible to them for coordination and representation in Catholic education in NSW and ACT at a state level. The Commission also provides leadership in Catholic education.....and will witness to its own commitment to Christ as part of the Church's mission of education in faith and will model and promote a faith relationship with Christ. Croke is also a member of the National Catholic Education Commission whose  headline declares its raison d'être as Advancing and promoting the interest of Catholic Education in Australia.

3. Professor Marie Emmitt: Dean Education Australian Catholic University Adelaide. Marie was a boarder at Genazzano in 1962 and 1963  and a member of Xavier School Council for ten years and is now a member of the Jesuit Schools Commission. She is also the Chair of St. Mary's School Board in East St. Kilda.

 The remaining eight positions on the National Curriculum Board are persons described as representatives of the six states and two territories. This means that they represent the particular geographical area for both government and non-government schools.

Stirrings on Behalf of Public Schools

Maralyn Parker, in her Daily Telegraph Blog on April 15 correctly stated the position of the eight area representatives as follows:

No one has been appointed to specifically look after the interests of around 70% of Australian children who go to public schools but around 20% who go to Catholic schools and the 10% to independent schools get to be specifically represented. There will be two representatives for Catholic Schools and one for Independent Schools.

The Education Minister of each State and Territory will send a representative and I guess as far as the federal government is concerned this covers public schools. However, famously, our State Ministers have told us time and again that they look after the interests of all children in the State, no matter which schools they go to.

Gillard's Appointments Represent a Gross Offence to Public Education and the Public Good

Maralyn Parker quite rightly feels both indignant and offended on behalf of the vast majority of children, parents and teachers in the public systems around Australia. She wrote:

 And Yes, you bet it matters that public schools are not represented. The strength of our public schooling system is that it is secular and accepting of all children. To allow religious affiliations and influence on what is taught in public schools while not allowing any specific public school representation beggars belief....

What a damaged and undermined position the Curriculum Board is in now. How many public school teachers will take its ponderings and pronouncements seriously?

Congratulations Maralyn.

DOGS have pointed out for years that the entanglement of the Church with the State in this country has long reached a point where the Church is interfering with the State apparatus while the general community which pays billions of dollars for their enterprise has no say about this interference.

 But what is now happening is even worse. The Church interests are invited by the Rudd Government to interfere in the curriculum of our free secular and universal public education systems.

Is this the cancer in the Body Politic at work ?

President of the AEU Also Objects

On April 15, 2008, Angelo Gavrielatos objected to the favouritism shown the private sector by the Rudd Government. He noted that

While the government has said on many occasions that it doesn't seek to distinguish between public and private, it continues to do so by constantly advantaging and pandering to the private school lobby and this is a further example of it.

WILL PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORTERS  STAND BY AND WATCH THE PRIVATISATION

AND DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION BY THE RUDD GOVERNMENT's

GROVELLING TO CHURCH SCHOOL INTERESTS?

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