EDITORIAL
Parents applaud Prime Minister’s extension of education tax break
Peter Garrigan, 13 July 2010
The parents of the some 2.4 million young people attending Australia’s public primary and secondary schools have put their full support behind Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s pledge to extend the education tax break in ways that will provide significant and much-needed assistance to those families doing it tough, in their efforts to provide their children with the best possible educational opportunities.
We see this as a further practical step in Julia Gillard and the government achieving the pledge she made to Australia’s families – ‘to make sure that every student – in every community – can achieve their potential’.
All parents want the best for their children, have strong aspirations for their children’s progress, are committed to supporting their development and take joint pride with the school in their achievements. But there are very many parents who, through no fault of their own, find the financial pressures that go with this commitment are hard to manage. They need and deserve a helping hand, a fair go, in carrying out their vitally important role as the first and continuing educators of their children.
This government has a driving commitment to nation building. And this Prime Minister understands that the starting point for real nation building is in the learning skills and positive personal qualities, attitudes, values and aspirations of all our young people – who are our future.
We know that every child’s personal development and learning readiness is enhanced when parents, families and schools work together in partnership. And if you are shaping an education revolution, then you not only have to resource the schools to provide the high quality learning opportunities – but also to recognise the need to resource some families to be able to seize those opportunities.
When this government was elected, they recognised the need to make it easier for those families finding it hard, with the tax break on some of the key tools of learning that every learner must have – books, stationery and computer items. That was a first big step forward in levelling the playing field for families in need of a helping hand.
Today’s announcement sets in place a no less significant and resonant means of support and encouragement for those families and students. One that provides not just as a very important direct financial support – but also as a great deal more.
When schools set dress codes for their students, that certainly takes some pressure off parents in relation to unhealthy and divisive ‘have and have not’ fashion competitions among the students, and that is a positive for the families and the student community.
Then we note all the research which shows that when young people have a positive self image, sense of belonging, feel good about themselves and their appearance, then they are in a better position for effective learning and social interaction. This helps those families to ensure that their children look smart – and feel smart.
This also promotes community cohesion and social inclusion.
So, we think it’s a great initiative!
Well, I certainly do not agree that this is a good idea.
This will push the price of uniforms up.
It will encourage schools to change uniforms to have even more complex uniforms, to look more like private schools.
The allowance is far too high and a burden on taxpayers.
There is no sign of the computers in our school, there is no hall big enough for the expanding student cohort.
Teachers need PD but there is no money in the budget for it.
The text books are years old, out of date, dogeared.
School uniforms are low level concerns, except for parents who are too focussed on ‘looking good’ while ignoring what actually goes on in the classroom- frequently not too much according to MySchool findings.
This is a cheap stunt by a PM who has no idea at all about what it takes to raise children.
Interesting point, Martin.
Is the government just window dressing – or does this deliver a real benefit to parents?
What do other parents around the country think about this from their perspective??
I agree with the PM, however I am concerned about how much power a school council has to make a uniform policy that could be totally unrealistic. For example if the bottom half of the uniform is a nominated school colour – such as bottle green, it shouldn’t matter where the items are sourced from or what design they are as long as they are the right colour. Some school uniform policies are very restricting (one type of long pant, one type of short pant from only one supplier) and we know that even young children have different shapes – why not give them the opportunity to choose from a wide range of styles in the one colour? Uniforms also need to be affordable for everyone. I like Indonesia’s uniform policy that is accessible to everyone. There is no separation of the private schools from the public schools based on how expensive your uniform is.
I have seen over more than 2 decades in state schools the way that uniforms are used to exclude, stigmatise and bully students. It is so commonplace that it is regarded as “normal” and indeed some “positions of responsibility” in the schools I have worked in, and some Assistant Principals, have seen this as the core business of their job.
Students in difficult circumstances – say as carers (and I could provide examples, if you do not believe me) find the going so tough that they leave, and the schools are happy about it because they were “disruptive” and did not have a “sense of belonging”.
I have seen no evidence of uniforms providing “positive self image or a sense of belonging”. I challenge Mister Garrigan to produce any. I wore a school uniform and it made me feel repressed and of inferior status, and this is what al the students I know say too/
I fear the main reason for uniform is a desire to create a society of unthinking conformists.
The argument about social levelling was tried in Cultural Revolution Era China, when everyone wore identical Mao Suits. Does ACOSS like that idea too?
Research on the effect of school uniforms:
“Mandatory uniform policies have been the focus of recent discourse on public school reform. Proponents of such reform measures emphasize the benefits of student uniforms on specific behavioral and academic outcomes. Tenth grade data from The National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 was used to test empirically the claims made by uniform advocates. The findings indicate that student uniforms have no direct effect on substance use, behavioral problems, or attendance. Contrary to current discourse, the authors found a negative effect of uniforms on student academic achievement. Uniform policies may indirectly affect school environments and student outcomes by providing a visible and public symbol of commitment to school improvement and reform. ”
http://www.gate.net/~rwms/UniformBrunRock.html
http://www.members.tripod.com/rockqu/uniform.htm
But lets not let actual research get in the way of our little homilies.
I am a volunteer mum in a p&c run uniform shop. Three years ago we officially changed our Uniform. This process took up two years of polling students, parents and teachers alike before we agreed on something. Those who feel their school councilors are not giving over their views need to look into replacing them. Councilors like government are supposed to be voted in to do the wishes of the many. If they don’t do the job…. get new ones. Now I went to a school where uniforms were not required, we were not a well off family and clothing options were limited. I was teased for not having the cool clothes and couldn’t wait to get to high school where I could wear the same as everyone else. I can quite easily say wearing mufti to school daily was the worst thing about my entire primary life. Last week I had three year 5 girls come in to buy a new jacket for one of them. While Shania was trying on the top she said to her friends “man I hate school uniforms…I wish we could wear mufti every day” to which her friends said “yeah! me too” and “yeah uniforms are stink”… I then said to them “well if you really didn’t want to wear uniforms you could write letters and ask your SRC members to bring it up with the teachers and the P&C then we could all discuss it and maybe you wouldn’t have to wear them… this got the girls excited then I added, but just remember some people have lots of money and some don’t so some people will have “cool” clothes and some “wont”… can you imagine how the ones without lots of clothes are going to feel and also I’ve been in your house Daniella and know how long it takes you to choose something to go to the mall….can you imagine choosing something every day you have to go to school”. The girls paused for about a second then said “yeahhh nahhh we don’t wanna write a letter… Thanks for the jacket” and left happy. I say yes its possibly a stunt by politicians as we are nearing a vote… but that doesn’t mean we cant see it for what it is.
@Richard, for “actual research” that directly contradicts Brunsma and Rockquemore’s 1998 study, there is Ann Bodine’s 2003 study “School Uniforms and Discourses on Childhood” (here, but it’s not free). A little bit more than a homily, you’d have to agree. Those authors actually had an interesting bit of back-and-forth on the issue. Oddly enough, they didn’t seem to need to demean each other’s points of view.
From both @Richard’s comments (“it made me feel repressed”) and @Susie’s (“wearing mufti to school daily was the worst thing about my entire primary life”), personal feelings on this issue run deep, in both directions. @Kylie’s suggestion of exploring other models is a forward-looking one.
Here are some more aggregations of points of view – pro & con:
http://www.helium.com/knowledge/16882-the-benefits-of-mandatory-school-uniforms
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/pros-and-cons-of-school-uniforms-182.html
Clearly more research is needed that pertains specifically to Australia.