PRIME MINISTER HOWARD'S VALUES

DOGS congratulate all the supporters of public education: parents, teachers, students and citizens who rallied to the support of our public education system in the last few weeks when Mr Howard attacked the values imparted by that system.

His attack was a well timed diversion, moving media searchlights away from

    a)     the closing down of tertiary opportunities for large numbers of Australian children through  the under funding of university places

    b)     the approx. 70% of Commonwealth funding which goes to approx. 30% of children in private church schools.

   c)     the funding of private church schools ( the Roman Catholic system being by far the major beneficiary of federal government largesse) at a greater level than that provided to universities.

  d)      the funding of new extremist sect schools at the expense of existing local public schools

  d)    the creation of an inequitable society in the next generation: one which is divided by class, colour, creed and ethnicity in private church institutions because of sectarian, sectionalist values inherent in a such schools.

  e)    the almost non-existent accountability for billions of dollars worth of public money paid   without demur into church system coffers.

As its supporters noted, it is the public system which values tolerance, openness, freedom, equality, justice, fraternity, the working of popular consent, and  personal obligation for the public good.

Our Public system will never be safe while public funding is diverted to institutions which are antithetical to the above values.

Mr Howard should look very carefully at his own values,  - not to mention his obligations to the next generation, their parents, and taxpayers.

Public School supporters should put both Prime Minister Howard and the Opposition Leader, Mark Latham on the spot and demand that PUBLIC FUNDING SHOULD BE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ONLY.

AND BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOGS MEAN SCHOOLS WHICH ARE:

PUBLIC IN OWNERSHIP

PUBLIC IN ACCESS REGARDLESS OF CLASS, CULTURE, CREED OR COLOUR

PUBLIC IN  FUNDING

PUBLIC IN ACCOUNTABILITY

PUBLIC IN PURPOSE

PUBLIC IN OUTCOME.

No privately owned church school or system can fulfill the above criteria.