[Greens-Media] Newspaper's misleading school comparisons justify test ban

[John Kaye]

Newspaper's misleading school comparisons justify test ban

Media release: 1 May 2010

As the NSW government calls in backpackers and other unqualified casual workers to administer school numeracy and literacy tests, the Australian newspaper's list of the one hundred so-called 'best' schools demonstrates why teachers have imposed bans, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye. (http://bit.ly/aus100501)

Dr Kaye said: "The Australian's list is deeply misleading. It distorts the debate and says nothing about what is important in the future of education.

"Teachers are exercising their professional conscious to stop education being undermined by a competition between schools to boost diagnostic test scores.

"The Australian has added fuel to the fire by spotlighting schools whose students scored well in the tests.

"Presence on this 'honour role' is more related to the type of students that the schools recruit than to the quality of teaching and learning. This is especially true for the secondary schools, where the test is held just three months after students first enrol.

"NSW Education Minister Verity Firth is tearing apart public school morale and putting students at risk for a website that is turning education into a commodity. 

"Ms Firth says she is against simplistic league tables. She should work with teachers and education experts to force her federal colleague Julia Gillard to see sense.

"The Australian Education Union has offered a compromise way forward for the 'my school' website to stop the damage it is doing to education and to schools that serve disadvantaged communities.

"Julia Gillard and Verity Firth should negotiate with teachers instead of putting children in schools at risk from unqualified backpackers many of whom will have no ability to control classrooms, administer emergency treatments, or keep children safe," Dr Kaye said. 

For more information:	John Kaye 0407 195 455