[Greens-Media] Home schooling inquiry raises alarm

[John Kaye]

Home schooling inquiry raises alarm

Media release: 7 December 2014

A NSW Upper House inquiry confirmed fears that children in some home
schooling environments are at risk but the Liberal, National and Christian
Democrat majority blocked attempts to address the fundamental causes,
according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

('Final Report, Home Schooling in NSW', Upper House Select Committee,
December 2014, http://j.mp/HSchool2014InqReport)

('School of neglect', Sun Herald, 7 December, page 1, http://j.mp/sh141207)

Dr Kaye who was deputy chair said: "The Committee was deeply concerned by
reports of the fad known as 'unschooling' which rejects any educational
structure.

"While it might work for some, educational anarchy will leave many students
without basic skills and the self-discipline to take on onerous and
challenging tasks.

"Unschooling highlights the dangers of unregulated and unregistered home
schooling.

"At some stage the state has to assert its responsibility to ensure each
child has a quality education.

"Letting children skate across whatever topic takes at their momentary
fancy will leave many with debilitating deficits in essential skills and
poorly developed self-control.

"Unschooling takes the excellent idea of student-centred learning to an
absurd and ultimately unhealthy extreme.

"The Committee’s focus on the large number of parents who fail to register
is also well founded.

"Without even the minimal surveillance of a visit from an officer of the
Board of Studies, unregistered children are at serious risk of educational
neglect.

"The Committee is asking the NSW government to work out how to find these
families and bring them inside the law.

"While many of the recommendations identify serious child welfare and
educational concerns,  in the end politics got the better of the Committee.

"The Liberal, National and Christian Democrat majority blocked attempts to
take the tough decisions that would have improved protection measures for
all children who are not in formal education.

"The opportunity to put the best interests of the child ahead of parental
whim was lost.

"The Committee initially recognised that many home schooling parents were
misusing the principles of the Education Act to justify their defiance of
the state's ability to protect children.

“The committee back-flipped on replacing the principle that 'the education
of a child is primarily the responsibility of the child’s parents' with
'decisions relating to the education of each child should be made by a
reference to the paramount interests of that child.'

"The principles of the Education Act have not been revised since 1990. Much
has changed in the intervening quarter of a century, particularly in the
understanding of the rights of children.

"Some parents will take the Committee's majority report as licence to
continue to treat legislated standards as an unwarranted and unnecessary
intrusion on their right to determine outcomes for their children.

"In fact, the work of the Board of Studies Teaching and Educational
Standards is an essential expression of the rights of all children to a
quality education.

"Protecting the integrity of the Board from conflicts of interest is
critical to maintaining educational standards.

"A number of the Committee's majority recommendations go to a dangerous
place where the Board's officers will be both supporting home schoolers and
assessing them.

"Education Minister Adrian Piccoli should carefully review the Committee's
findings and implement those that will improve protection for children in
home schooling," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455


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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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