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From Adelaide Now

Public schools will soon forcibly cut funding for major resources - ultimately disadvantaging students - in response to new taxes outlined in the 2006-07 State Budget.

Principals have warned the new taxes, which include a 1 per cent WorkCover levy on total staff salaries, mean they have the tough choice of either slashing funds for learning resources or increasing school fees.

The warning came as Premier Mike Rann denied Labor MPs were concerned about losing their seats because of the cuts.

One school has detailed to The Advertiser the direct impact of the cuts on their resources, which they estimate would total $50,000 from discretionary funds out of their annual budget.

The resource cuts - five lots of $10,000 in this school's case - would hit:

IT which would result in its network and hardware becoming outdated over time.

SPECIAL Education support program, disadvantaging those most in need.

STAFF training, reducing the knowledge and skills of its staff.

LIBRARY resourcing - which is most of its budget - resulting in out of date resources "very quickly" and $10,000 more, which "gives them nowhere else to cut from without impacting on staffing and class sizes".

The school's principal said: "We can either charge parents an extra $100 per child . . . or we can reduce resourcing."

SA Primary Principals Association president Glyn O'Brien said the cuts were "something Treasurer Kevin Foley doesn't understand".

"We want the opportunity to sit down and put in front of him the facts and figures but we've had no response at all to our pleas or letters asking for that," she said.

Mr Rann told Parliament yesterday that no Labor backbenchers, including former teacher Chloe Fox, had indicated to him they held concerns about their jobs.

His denial was met with howls of protest from the Liberals after speculation Ms Fox raised the issue in Caucus. Ms Fox yesterday refused to comment.

Next Thursday, teachers are expected to strike for one-hour to protest against the new taxes.

A spokeswoman for the Education Department said "all savings measures announced in last year's Budget will be redirected back into public education".

Louise Quinn, who has two children attending Reynella Primary School, is concerned about the impact of the new taxes.

"It will impact severely on an already limited school budget and there will be the financial impact on parents if the extra costs are passed on," she said.