23 March 2008

Properly funding public schools the answer to "white flight"

In the last month, the Sydney Morning Herald published a number of front page articles on a report by the NSW Secondary Principals Council revealing how white Australian students are increasingly fleeing public schools, leaving behind those of Aboriginal and Middle Eastern origin.

The article reported that "Around Sydney, the parents of some Anglo-European students are avoiding what they perceive as predominantly Lebanese, Muslim and Asian schools" and that "Not only have some public schools lost enrolments; they have become racially segregated. In pockets of rural and remote NSW, Aboriginal students fill public schools and white students attend Catholic and other private schools in the same town." See full article here.

The findings of the research, if true, are obviously of concern to us. The success of Australian multiculturalism has always relied on Australians from all cultures interacting with each other in everyday life activities. An important aspect of that interaction is found in the education system, which for many people represents their first real opportunity to experience meeting someone from a different cultural background. Polarisation of schools based on ethnicity or faith undermines those opportunities, and with that, multiculturalism.

What can be done to address this trend? Racists would probably seize on those reports as supporting evidence that people of different cultures cannot peacefully co-exist. But that would be a simplistic analysis. It assumes that students are leaving pubic schools as a result of fear of other students from another ethnicity.

There is however another more optimistic explanation. Parents, no matter from what ethnicity or religion all want their children to receive the best educational opportunities possible. And perhaps they are not confident that the public education system is currently providing those opportunities. Hence, the movement to private, religious, and selective schools by those who are most able to afford to do so. Statistically, they are more likely to be Anglo-celtic Australians. On the other hand, many families from migrant backgrounds are still the most likely to face financial disadvantages. The latter do not have the luxuary of choice. Financial circumstances could therefore be a major contributor to the segregation.

Thus part of the solution to this issue, and one supported by the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW is for increased funding and support to public schools and its teachers. If parents can be confident that their children will receive the same high quality educational opportunities no matter where they are schooled, that will go a long way towards addressing the white flight phenomena.

3 comments:

jay singh said...

Thank you for a good article and a different perspective from mainstream thoughts.

However, I would like to add that if we simply focus or present our argument based on the concept of funding and disregard any opinions on the "whitewash" issue. This also, will not only be a simplistic answer to the concerns being raised but trivialises the fears and concerns of many people.

Concerns and/or fears are never false. They are right in the minds of those that have them and must be given the respect if we are to have chance in making them aware of the alternatives.

Hence, respect and accept all points that are on the table and give them due thought. Present your own and see how each and everyone can be tackled.

From your write-up it seems that the reasons presented by SMH and others are simply not valid.

Maybe, something to think about.

Thank you for the opportunity to reply.

regards
J

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Unknown said...

As a retired, assistant principal,primary, in the public system, I am, of course pleased to see any reasons given for more funding to public schools.
I do not have access to any solid facts but I wonder about the statement regarding the 'trend' of children being taken from the public to the private system.
That has been asserted for such a long time! One would wonder if, by now, the public schools should not be empty!
When the multicultural education policy was launched and implemented, in NSW public schools, I was - briefly - part of the team that was given the task of facilitating its acceptance. My title was 'coordinator of multicultural education resources'.
But, basically the resources being relied on were the teachers who were already fully occupied implementing a very full curriculum.
To get things started, teachers who happened to speak German, Italian, Spanish (in my case Dutch) were encouraged to add a multicultural dimension.
I do not claim to know how things have progressed but just from reading your post, I suspect that 29 years later, things are still not ideal.
Jo Mulholland

Ja said...

All said in those two comments did not even scrach the surface.

It is not only in schools. It is everywhere. Racisam was present always. But what happened is that it was condemned by civilised governments, laws, rules, media etc.

NOW, during last 10 years, everything changed. Governments are becoming non-civilised, racist, and ethics and values went crushing down, media does not respect codes of conduct or common sence, respect is gone and "IF YOU ARE NOT WITH US YOU ARE AGAINST US" is new Bible for those who Lead??!!!
(for the love of God I can not understand how and why we let them do that to us?)

I was so proud of Australia, but instead to be Multicultural, Peaceful, Understanding, we become cave people and became again uncivilised, half humans living in stone age. Well not realy, when I think about it, at that time humans did not care about colour of our skin, did they?

Sorry that I got carried away and what i am talking about it might seem irelevant to the public school issues, but think about it a bit deeper, you will find connection, I hope.

Take Care