Misinformation in the media about which school are achieving the best results

I am tired of hearing in the media how the results on My School show that the government schools have come out on top. I am only referring to NSW schools. I have no knowledge of the other states.

I have been right through the results and it is clear (with a very few exceptions) that the only state schools that have make the top results are selective schools. Well of course they should do very well. After that all the top schools are from the quality (and expensive) private schools. From the top private schools I believe only one, Sydney Grammar School, is selective.

Parents of course don't always have the resources to choose these schools. Parents will choose cheaper private schools for other reasons in the hope that the children will be better behaved and in a safer environment or for religious reasons.

Some of the reasons given from people deeply opposed to the publishing of these results are understandable but parents have a right to know as much as possible about school results. I am sure there are schools in disadvantaged areas who have wonderful teachers who achieve amazingly considering what they have to deal with but most parents do not want to put their children into schools with problem children. Hours of time is wasted in lessons with disruptive behaviour and there is real danger of their children getting into bad company and then into trouble.

Tags: -, Which, or, private?, public, school

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Permalink Reply by zubey on February 6, 2010 at 11:43

It seams as if this is a war between 'HAVES AND HAVE NOTS'. The HAVES don't want to be closed the education gap between their children and the children of The HAVE NOTS. The HAVES don't want the HAVE NOTS' children to be given equal chance of education as theirs. They are protecting their CLASS SUPERIORITY oriented education. This is why they don't want the Government to dig out this issue and raise the awareness of parents.

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Permalink Reply by Katrina Smith on February 6, 2010 at 12:20

Spot on zubey. The stock & trade of the Private school is the luxury of being able to exclude these pesky "problem children". The first line of defence against the "problem children" is the fees that will exclude the lower income "problem children". Then they have the selection process in case any lottery winners from poor areas try and sneak their "problem children" past the gate. Then there's the ability to expel any remaining "problem children" at any time and return them to the public system where they will receive an education without prejudice.

The teachers federation told everyone that league tables would be harmful to our society and our education system. How long will it take Joe and Jane Public to see what they've endorsed.

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Permalink Reply by Katrina Smith on February 6, 2010 at 22:25

I made a point of highlighting the complete absence of "problem children" in the private system due to the three factors of affordability, exclusion and expulsion. Iain, I haven't noticed many private schools popping up in Mt Druitt. That's what I call social neglect on the part of a private enterprise that takes $Millions in education funds. What about the problem children Iain?

Maybe they could hop in their imaginary Ford Class Divider GT and take an imaginary drive over to Toffsville where they can , with cloth cap in hand, beg Her Royal Highness Headmistress to dish out a scholarship to the deserving poor. Of course mum will have to work 21 hours a day to pay for the uniform, but hey, at least they'll get a better education... or will they?

You own two cars? The haves sometimes have two 'eh?

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Permalink Reply by Oliva on February 8, 2010 at 12:48

Well of course zubey. Why would the HAVES want the HAVE NOTS to be equal to them? If they were there wouldn't be any HAVES and there wouldn't be any HAVE NOTS.
But really I think it's more interesting if the HAVE NOTS decide they don't want the HAVES to be equal to them. I mean HAVES are such boring, educated, ambitious, hard-working, law-abiding citizens. Why would you want them anywhere close to your World?

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Permalink Reply by zubey on February 8, 2010 at 16:10

Unfortunately, you are discussing on the other way round! What everyone wants is good education regardless or being HAVES or HAVE NOTS. If technical barriers are removed from there, I believe that every citizen will enjoy good equal education. On the other hand, I am very sorry that you are assuming the HAVES are good citizens while HAVE NOTS are not!!! What a twisted mind! I don't want you have to divert me from the topic under discussion so I say thanks to MySCHOOL who dug and is digging more hide information from the ambitious, hard-working and law-abiding citizens.

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Permalink Reply by Oliva on February 8, 2010 at 16:26

Yes Zubey some HAVES are not good citizens.That is oh so true.
But remember it's not what you've got it's what you do with what you've got.
A lot of HAVE NOTS struggle to advance themselves and they make it because they push themselves and venture outside their comfort zone to reach their goals. That's OK.
If a HAVE NOT is happy where they are at that's OK too. A tree has many branches.

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Permalink Reply by zubey on February 8, 2010 at 8:26

In economical term, LACK OF INFORMATION is a major factor that causes MARKET FAILURE. Similarly, LACK OF INFORMATION is a driving force of EDUCATION MARKET FAILURE! One best way to overcome this factor is to make available an in-depth information to the MARKET (parents) so no customer misses an opportunity due to LACK OF INFORMATION. One good step taken towards this direction is the creation of MYSCHOOL and provision of the LEAGUE TABLE.

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Permalink Reply by Katrina Smith on February 8, 2010 at 8:42

League tables haven't worked anywhere else in the world, why do you think they'll work here? If it's research and information you're after then a cursory search of the internet will reveal the folly of League tables and the subsequent lowering of education standards by all who've adopted them.

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Permalink Reply by Neridah Brooke-adams on February 8, 2010 at 15:25

Why is Mt Druitt being mentioned have we all not learnt from past media attention to that area, remember the HSC students pictures published??????? and yes there are a couple of private schools located there.not only that theres even a selective public high school at Penrith.

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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Roope on February 9, 2010 at 12:20

Why is Mt Druitt mentioned? That is an easy one to answer. Mt Druitt is known to many. If I used the name of one of the high schools in my local area that has similar problems to the previously published issues of Mt Druitt, no one would know where I was talking about.

As a society should we not be concerned about the students going to schools that are not getting better results? But really, the issues aren't happening in high school. They are happening in primary school and only becoming apparent in high school. We should, as a society, be addressing the issues that are seeing many in the lower socioeconomic bracket being recycled back into it. In many of the cases, education is needed to assist these people out of the socioeconomic hole that they are in, not further brushing under the carpet.

Those people in the middle and upper socioeconomic brackets have the option to look to other areas, be it private schools or tutoring or even moving to get a better education than those in the lower socioeconomic bracket. When you are living hand to mouth you can't research on the internet to find a better school because you can't afford to buy a computer. You can't afford to move house or get tutoring for your child, you have to hope that the system will not fail your child. In so many cases, the system IS failing these children.