Why do people get offended/insulted at thought out argumentation? Even if it were wrong, why can’t someone just disagree and make their case (I have my own theories for this but I don’t care to hijack the topic)? I just don’t understand this…

Fascinating post, Luke :)

That’s not to say that I don’t support public education though, because I do, in fact I desperately wish that I didn’t feel the need to put my children in an alternative school system.

I get the point of your blog… I don’t think that schools who are lucky enough to receive extra funding by committed families and communities should have that advantage negated by less government funding.

Also, not all private schools are created equal. The fees at the Christian school I work at are quite modest, and there are indeed families who choose to pay them and live more frugally than they would otherwise.

I’m sure you know that not all public schools are created equal, either. I’m glad your kids are at a great one :)

Andrew: agreed re: accepting all students, but not all staff (e.g. a Christian school ceases to be a Christian school if it employs non-Christians – this whole issue is a can of worms I’ll leave closed for a future post, though). I take your point re: academic performance, but that’s not the only metric that matters when considering a wholistic education. And it’s the parents of private school kids who I’m saying are especially committed to quality education. Of course plenty of the kids don’t care ;)

Nat: disparity exists everywhere. It should be minimised where practical – private schools that offer scholarships and fee assistance help with this, giving less wealthy families with smart kids opportunities they couldn’t otherwise afford. I agree re: more funding and better talent being needed in under-performing schools.

As for Christian schools (I’ll translate :P), that’s why curriculum compliance is enforced. All teachers educate within their preferred ideology (or that of their employer), and I respect the right of parents to choose which ideology their teachers have.

Private schools also have the advantage of hand picking their students, while public schools have to provide an education to everyone, regardless of behavioural problems. In fact shouldn’t more funding be given to schools with poor behaviour or low scores?

And what about private schools who are more interested in teaching students their ideology as opposed to the curriculum?

The article in the link makes the wrong assumption that all kids at private schools are interested in quality education. I know several people who absolutely hated being at the private school their parents sent them to.
It is also a fact that if public schools can use the same rules as private schools in choosing which students to take then the public schools can do just as well as a private school academically. That selective public schools are getting in the top 10 schools in HSC demonstrates this.

NB: we’re planning to start our kids in public schools, and hopefully they’ll stay there until the end of their schooling. We’ll be enhancing the quality of their education through involvement in other things outside of school, though.

And I agree re: right vs. privilege; I just think private schools have a part to play (i.e. in what they can add to the prescribed base-level education, which I agree should be “quality”, however we define that!), and government funding needs to remain part of the equation.