A Battle For Hearts And Minds
Saturday, December 13, 2003
There is a battle for hearts and minds in the school funding debate. Some of us want to open competition between state-run and other schools, believing the direct result would be more equal opportunity and better service delivery all around.
Naturally there are those who are comfortable with the present protected status of state-run schooling. But I have to say I am amazed at their high-risk strategy of constantly pumping out misleading propaganda to the effect that private schools get more government funding than state schools.
It would only take a high-profile person 30 seconds to advise the nation that no private school has ever been given as much taxpayers' money as a same-size state school. The campaigners would then face deep embarrassment and grievous loss of credibility.
The strategy is either foolish or very desperate.
Philip O'Carroll