Fighting Over The Children
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
We're fighting over the children. And the tug-of-war will intensify in this election year. On one side we have parents, who naturally want to be able to choose who will teach their children. On the other side we have the state school system operators, who jealously guard their turf, aiming to keep as many children as possible within their walls.
The instrument of coercion is the school funding regime. Those who send their children to state-run schools get their full share of the tax money raised for schooling. They don't have to pay fees. The 30% of families who shop elsewhere for schooling receive between 15% and 70% of their share. They have to pay fees, even at the many non-state schools that spend no more than the state system does on each student.
In a true democracy, the same fundng would be granted for the same student, no matter what school parents chose. This would also have the effect that every school was exposed to consumer power. The standard everywhere would rise.
Hapless pawns in this battle are the state school teachers. They are amongst the hardest-working of all government employees. Yes, heroic work is done with more of the difficult children. But their hardships are artificially worsened by their system masters. Non-state schools are personally chosen by parents, their teachers invited into their lives. Coercive funding means that state teachers often do not enjoy this supportive relationship with their families. Non-state teachers suffer less stress and sick leave.
Teachers jobs are not in danger, even if the school industry is opened up to clean competition. The same number of students need to be taught: the same number of teachers will be needed. State teachers are at present conned into thinking that only they can service disadvantaged children. But the funding regime actually means that state teachers get an exaggerated concentration of difficult children. Liberate state teachers! Respect parents' rights! Improve children's opportunities!
Philip O'Carroll