AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

PRESS RELEASE 611#

THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF ‘INTEGRATION’ -  PUT ALL CHILDREN TOGETHER IN A WELL RESOURCED PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Our politicians divide, rule and avoid real issues by instilling ‘fear’ of terrorism by ‘extreme’ religious groups. For example, concern is expressed at the unprecedented segregation of children from Islamic backgrounds in separate schools.

On August 4, Kathryn Powley reported in the Murdoch Press, the following:

 The number of students attending Victorian Islamic schools has more than doubled in eight years, with almost 8000 kids now attending the religious schools. In 2007, there were 3900 students enrolled in five Islamic schools. This year there are 7910 students in seven schools. That represents a 103 per cent increase, contributing to a 16 per cent overall increase in independent school enrolments. A Herald Sun analysis of Department of Education and Training data shows during the same eight years, Victoria’s entire school student population grew by just 9 per cent. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/student-enrolment

In the United Kingdom, David Cameron, in a speech at a school in Birmingham warned against the ‘pernicious isolation that comes with ‘segregation’ in schools "It cannot be right," the prime minister said, "that people can grow up and go to school and hardly ever come into meaningful contact with people from other backgrounds and faiths."The context of this speech was tackling extremism - and his fear that "segregated schooling" would make it harder to stop the radicalising reach of a separatist Islamist ideology.He warned of the risks of young people growing up in an inward-looking and disconnected environment. http://www.bbc.com/news/correspondents/seancoughlanSean Coughlan from the BBC posed the question: Can you make schools integrate?

DOGS ask, “On the question of integration: Why should Islamic schools be distinguished from any other private, publicly funded schools that segregate children ?” And DOGS say Yes we can integrate our children But - to integrate as we did for over 100 years we need to do three things:

1. Provide well resourced public schools
2. Stop State Aid to private schools
3. Forbid establishment of private schools within 2 miles of any public school

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