[Greens-Media] Tebbutt patronises school students

[Alison Orme]

MEDIA RELEASE - 30 May 2006

Tebbutt patronises school students  

Greens MP industrial relations and youth spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says the NSW Education Minister is wrong to warn school students off getting involved in the June 1 student strike against the federal government’s WorkChoices laws.
 
“Ms Tebbutt’s statement that students belong at school is akin to saying a woman’s place is in the home,” Ms Rhiannon said.

 “Young people’s very future will be irreparably affected by WorkChoices and this in itself gives them every right to protest, whether school aged or beyond.

“In the 1960s I was active as a school student against the war in Vietnam, organising the cavalcade of buses that took hundreds of school students to Canberra to protest at the US Embassy and Australian Parliament. These protests were certainly part of my education.

 “The Minister for Education underestimates young people’s intelligence and the impact these laws will have on their lives.

“Many teachers and academics understand that education cannot be divorced from the real world and that taking part in actions like these is part of a fully rounded education.

“Young workers have always been highly vulnerable to exploitation and WorkChoices give employers license to further undermine their conditions.

“Ms Tebbutt should be supporting not patronising these young people and their right to take a stand,” Ms Rhiannon said.


For more information:  9230 3551 or 0427 861 568



Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Tues, Wed)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme at parliament.nsw.gov.au 
Web www.leerhiannon.org.au