Government-run education system

My reply to a letter in the BOP Times yesterday by school teacher Larry
Dixon concerning the government-run education system.

Larry says the following:

I am a teacher in a large state secondary school and I am proud to teach there. I take exception to Graham Clarks letter Feb 3 BOP Times) that says a private school system could privide a better education than my state run school does!

. . .that the market can be relied upon to provide a better education system as the current economic turmoil clearly shows the market model is flawed.

. . . NCEA results do not support Clarks contention that the highest levels of achievement come from private schools.

. . .The market only provides for those who can pay

. . .
The state school system is carefully audited by the ERO . . .

My letter:

I find it extremely disturbing that there are those in our community who believe it is justifiable to force others to accept what they think is acceptable - that some of them are teachers is even more disturbing!

I also find it incredible that some argue the state can be relied upon to provide a better system (in anything!) as hordes of illiterate school-leavers prove they clearly cannot.

Reality is what it is Larry Dixon, regardless of your thoughts and wishes!
The fact remains that parents seeking the best education for their children, send them to private school, just as those wishing to receive the best healthcare go to private hospitals.

If they could get the best education or healthcare via government-run institutions they would, but the can’t, so they pay twice, and look elsewhere. How many government ministers send their children to private schools?
Larry would deny you the right to chose the education you want for your children - to take second best simply because some cannot afford the same and because he has good teachers at his school!

If we were not forced to pay for state services, we could afford to purchase the best education and healthcare available in the world for our families. Stop taking our money and let us chose ourselves. It is 100-odd years of state brainwashing that has led some to believe they cant do it without government compulsion.

State school is the advertising agency that brainwashes kids (and some teachers) to believe that you need society as it is! Of course Dixon sticks up for it - he is part of the machine. He has been taught BY them to teach others WHAT to think and not HOW to think!
The ERO is a government office, reporting on government schools - what do you expect them to find? Also I went to www.ero.govt.nz, and guess what? It didnt work!

If it is justifiable to force “you” to educate your children by the government system because “I” cant afford private school, should it then be acceptable to force you to eat sausages because I cant afford steak, or force you to drive a lada, because I cant afford a BMW!

This has been tried before Larry! Its called communism, and it has failed.

This is exactly why parents whould be able to chose the education they want for their children because the state system brainwashes them to believe (not think!) that the rights of one group (minority) can be denied because a bigger group demand it!

It is dangerouse to rely on the government to educate our children as they only disseminate information to ensure their perpetuity