Belgarion wrote on Jan 7
th, 2011 at 7:23am:
As a general principle I am against public funding for private schools, and have really tried to support the state system. Eventually however, after two years at a bloody awful state high school, we did send one of our children to a private school. This was not a fancy or hugely expensive school, just a local catholic boys high, however the quality of the teachers ,the education and discipline provided was vastly superior. That things are this way is wrong, that we had to send our son to a private school to ensure he got a decent education still annoys me, but that is, unfortunately, the way things are at the moment.
There are arguments for public funding of private schools such as private parents pay taxes and are entitled to have a share of the education dollar, and that not funding these schools will only ensure that they become even more elitist and exclusive for those that can afford them, however I don't believe that these outweigh the benefits of properly funding state education.
More money is itself not the whole answer. The entire system needs to be overhauled, all the trendy touchy feely PC crap eliminated, incompetent teachers removed and proper discipline restored. Only then will we have an education system like the one that once saw Australia a world leader in education.
Addendum: I have followed gizmos link and have noticed that there is no attribution on the OP.
I'm against public moneys funding private schools too...
I mean, isn't that the whole point to the different classifications, PUBLIC(funded) Schools as opposed to PRIVATE(funded) Schools???
If they're government funded, why are they called 'Private'??
Oh and I only included the link to show that imcrookonit didn't actually write it him/herself..
Are you against private/public partnerships as well? What about the notion of Gov delivering its servics by partnering with the private sector? Roads are built by the private sector. Govt Buildings and hospitals are built by the private sector. Arae you suggesting that this should all be ONLY done by govt departments because other wise you are SUBSIDISING private industry with govt money! When private industry (such as schools) do a demonstrably BETTER job than govt in providing a service then govt should bow out and let private industry do the job - better and cheaper.
Perhaps a solution would be to get rid of public operated schools entirely and have the govt pay the $10,000 per student directly to a private education body to proved no-fee education. It would provide a higher standard of education for no extra cost.