I guess we will have to agree to disagree. The worldwide statistical evidence is that private schools and state schools in the same socio-economic areas have similar outcomes both in standards and social outcomes. Private schols in those areas do not do any better than state schools in those same areas. The only significant indicator of educational outcomes is social background. that has been known for many years. The evidence quoted for private schools is often gained by comparing apples with oranges - ie a private school in a good area with a state school in a poor area. 

You are being 'ripped off' in your taxes in many other areas - we all pay taxes for many things we don't need or want to use - public transport, public libraries etc etc. What about people who don't want or can't have children - should they get their taxes reimbursed? Why do people make the distinction with education and not other things? 

And I'll 'fess up - I  was the president of the AEU for several years after a lifetime career in secondary schools and I guess I am a socialist too so we're never going to agree. Best leave it at that.

Here is an article that says it better than I can.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/expateducation/4186563/Whyindependent-schools-are-bad.html

Kfchugo & Jaywalker, I agree with both lots of points, but I believe that school children are being taught too much that is not connected to basic education.  Because of my industry, I get to spend a little time around schools public & private.  A couple of observations.  Public school students never appear to repeat, regardless of how they do in their attendance or exams.  Private school students do repeat.  I notice when I visit public schools, that, regardless of the time of day, there will be 20 or 30 students wandering around the playground.  There are none at the private schools.  Where I live, there is a private & a public school both within about 5 to 600 metres of a McDonalds outlet.  Regardless of the time of the school day, there will be public, high school students at Maccas, but none from the private school.  A final point.  Why is it that somebody with an IQ of 90 can attend the minimum classes in year 12, then sit for the HSC exam,  get everything wrong & be issued with an HSC Certificate?  Personally, I don't give a damn whether a child of mine is eligible for a BA with a double major in Aboriginal history & the legal rights of children, as long as they are capable of reading, writing & simple mental arithmatics.

We live behind a selective high school in Sydney and it's easy to see who the clever kids are.  When they were walking to the local swimming pool last year with their teacher, without a word of a lie, almost every child appeared to be from another culture, either Indian or Asian.  We just don't put the pressure on our kids to excel the way other cultures do, I don't know what the answer is but we need clever kids to run a clever country. 

The basic difference toot2000, is that the overseas students parents are paying around $8,000/term as against the local students that pay $0.00.  We all know how valuable something that is free is.  If a local student gets an average of 10% in year 11, he/she still goes into year 12.  It is extremely hard for an Asian student to get into year 12 unless he can prove outstanding results in year 11 or the equivalent.

Interesting thread.  

In the US we are having an ever increasing number of private schools.    They will be run by religious groups or just areas where the parents are ashamed of how dangerous the public schools have become or the lack of education provided by the public school system.    High drop out levels, low accomplishment, dangerous, are just a few comments about the public schools in the US.

Private schools are trying to provide safer and better education for the children.    Probably a lot less sports and band activities and more money spent on educational efforts.

I would believe that in the private schools the teachers will be measured on abilities to teach and urge the children to do more willingly.

These tea-party people are a bit strange aren't they.

Well the new year has passed, Christmas is nothing but a memory. It’s obvious Australia is in an election year when ex politicians like Bob Hawke and soon to be ex politicians like Julia Gillard roll up to events like the Woodford Folk Festival.

At any other time they wouldn’t come within a fly’s hair of events like that. Through some sort of magical set of circumstances they suddenly care about a place with the political nous of a rarefied bunyip of the greenish climate change believing variety.

This election year has already been touted a close one. Some of the ‘commie-tartiat’ have even gone so far as to say that the Government’s ‘auto registration’ of 18-25 year olds will give them an advantage going into the campaign.

Truth be told, I believe this will be the filthiest campaign in living memory. Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard, though representing opposite sides of political discourse, will do anything including a Mexican stand-off to out wit the other.

http://austeaparty.com.au/web/the-future-and-its-malcontents-2/

Wouldn't it be luuvverly to see them doing the 'Tennersee Waltz' together.

How 'bout listing our good pollies, say 1 - 10

1: Arrrrrh/Ummmmmh

I followed BigVal's link and the red alert sign came up , is it all fixed now?

justme, can you make a start? I would really need encouragement to think so hard.