I sent this letter to all Members of State Parliament. I will keep a record of who responds and I will be interested to hear anyone who will stand up and say that this is good public policy.
Dear Member of State Parliament
As an officer of a Public Primary School Governing Council, in the Adelaide suburbs, I am appalled that the Labor State Government is planning
to make our children pay for your government's so called efficiency dividends. Why should public education and student learning again suffer at the hands of
politicians and bureaucrats?
Is the South Australian Labor Party plan for Public School Education, Dumb and Dumber (Better Go Private). How can members of a Labor Party philosophically support policies that are by default undermining public schools and making more people seriously consider private schools.
It is my understanding that currently the State Government is proposing to remove $72 Million from the Public Schools in the next three years. Based upon information provided by our Principal, the impact is
anticipated to be $20,000 to $30,000 per year. It is my understanding that similar cuts, proportional to the size of the school will face all public schools in South Australia.
The State Government trumpets South Australia as a state supportive of
education and the development of skills for the new economy. In what way does cutting funding for public education fit into this plan. Is this a back door plan to force kids into Private Schools or enormous Super Schools?
At the same time as supporting
huge tax breaks to private US Universities, you and your
government are stealing from the most valuable resource that this
state has, children. How much more do you want to take out of class room resources and support staff. Indeed, why shouldn't our kids share in the prosperity of a booming economy after the years of denial brought about by the financial
stringencies that followed the state bank disaster?
These cuts will be felt most dramatically in areas of most value to
our children in teaching resources and programmes. It makes me very
mad that you would support this. Public schools are already
underfunded and need more resources, not less
In plain terms, for our school this could mean increases in school fees, reductions in Guided Reading to one day a week, no new computing upgrades, reductions in Front Office Support, reductions in maintenance budgets, reductions in Library Budgets, withdrawal of subsidies for activities and excursions, increases in School Fees, reduction of budgets for classrooms and other discretionary spending. The list is very long. If you are comfortable with this, then do nothing. If not, please do something. These types of impacts will affect all children who attend Public Schools anywhere in South Australia. All schools are facing the same types of cuts.
The current back down that has made on the proposed cuts on the Work Cover Levy is only a small part of the overall proposed reductions to schools funds and while good, should not have been proposed in the first place.
As a professional working in Adelaide, I regularly see how difficult it is to find suitably qualified and trained employees. I fail to see how reducing funding for public education helps to turn this around.
So my question to you as a Member of the State Labor Government and presumably as a supporter of these cuts in funding for public education, can you please tell me, my family and all the other families with children in State Public Schools in South Australia, why you support draconian cuts in funding for Public School Education.
I have listened to Dr Jane Lomax Smith, the Minister for Education try to defend the indefensible and am not convinced that a good argument has been made for implementing these cuts.
I am just looking for somebody to stand up and explain to me why this is such a good idea. I can then explain to my kids when their programmes and resources are cut back.
Make Public Education exempt from your budget cuts and 'efficiency dividends'.
Shame on this State Labor Government.
Don't steal from kids.
I am happy to provide a street address and telephone number if you would like to communicate with me in another way.
You are also welcome to take a look at my blog that I developed to focus on this issue. I would welcome your feedback.
http://salaborlollyjarthieves.blogspot.com
Thank you for your time
Colin Campbell
Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Saturday, 23 June 2007
What You Can Do to Oppose Public School Education Cuts
This is from the Australian Education Union Web Page. I used it to write a bunch of emails and talk to people from these offices. Be persistent and demand a response. Unless sufficient pressure is put on politicians, these cuts will just happen. This will translate directly into a significant reduction in classroom resources, including support staff and other high value programmes. Don't let this happen to your children. Some of this stuff is a bit technical, but I got a good response when I talked to people in the politicians office. The time is now in terms of making a difference. Let politicians know that you are not happy.
Background Information - Cost Cutting and efficiency Dividend Proposals
Workcover - $7m cut
# All sites are levied 1% of total salary starting costs, with a monthly deduction from the site's budget.
# Costs will be met by the site in which the injury occurs.
# Sites to pay the first $100 of any medical treatment.
# Sites to pay the first 4 weeks of lost time from any new Workcover claim; e.g. TRT cover
# $200 late notification fee if exceeding the 2 day period for notification
# A 60% rebate will be provided to sites that make no claims
# A levy/rebate panel will be established to view cases of hardship
# Governing Councils will be wholly responsible for their employees and will be required to register separately and be responsible for compliance
Staffing
DECS acknowledges that there can be no change to staffing arrangements unless by agreement with the AEU because these are secured by industrial agreements.
Their wishlist includes, 45km rule increased to 70km, unlimited tenure for all teaching staff, unlimited right of return.
It should be noted that however some items may not be covered by industrial agreements:
# DECS strategy focuses upon TPT and top ups
# Costs of all surplus teachers transferred to sites
# Introduction of a cost to sites for surplus ancillary staff
# 30 TRT days will be cut each term per 1.0 surplus teaching staff
SASIF accounts
# Applies to all funds in SASIF accounts
# Exempted funds include building, library, OSHC and vacation care, canteen, farm accounts, trusts and scholarships, P&F accounts
# Exempted funds will subject to stricter annual auditing
# DECS examining 5 options.
1) School type
# Specific Limit according to school type
# Preschools $50 000
# Primary $80 000
# Secondary/Area $100 000
2) Enrolment Numbers
# $50 000 up to 100 students
# $80 000 between 101 and 300 students
# $100 000 between 301 and 500 students
# $ 120 000 for 501 and above.
3) Combined enrolment and school type
# Preschools $40 000 - $60 000
# Primary $ 60 000 - $90 000
# Secondary/ Area $90 000 - $120 000
4) Based on 5% RES (2006)
A range between $20 000 and $ 490 000 depending on school size
5) 5% of RES with upper and lower limits
# $40 000 lower to $120 000 upper.
Option 5 favoured by DECS
Energy efficiencies
# 50 sites have met targets
# 550 yet to reach target
# Sustainable Development Grants to be targeted to the 50 biggest energy consumers
# Reduction tied to State Development plan to reduce 2001 consumption rates by 25% - equivalent of $1.8m reduction
# Site redevelopment will include latest energy efficient technology
Water Saving
# Saving of 10% of usage - or $0.7m
# 315 sites have reached target
# ESD funds targeted to top 50 users
Small Programmes/grants
Email links, suggestions and background information to help you get the message through to the state government.
Send an email today telling South Australia's leaders that our schools can't afford their cuts.
The Premier Mike Rann The Treasurer Kevin Foley
The Minister for Education Jane Lomax Smith
Suggested message
Dear ........
I am appalled that DECS and your Government are making children pay for your government's so called efficiency dividends. Why should public education and student learning again suffer at the hands of politicians and bureaucrats?
Indeed, why shouldn't our kids share in the prosperity of a booming economy after the years of denial brought about by the financial stringencies that followed the ALP's state bank disaster?
Make Public Education exempt from your budget cuts and 'efficiency dividends'.
Shame on this State Labor Government.
Background Information - Cost Cutting and efficiency Dividend Proposals
Workcover - $7m cut
# All sites are levied 1% of total salary starting costs, with a monthly deduction from the site's budget.
# Costs will be met by the site in which the injury occurs.
# Sites to pay the first $100 of any medical treatment.
# Sites to pay the first 4 weeks of lost time from any new Workcover claim; e.g. TRT cover
# $200 late notification fee if exceeding the 2 day period for notification
# A 60% rebate will be provided to sites that make no claims
# A levy/rebate panel will be established to view cases of hardship
# Governing Councils will be wholly responsible for their employees and will be required to register separately and be responsible for compliance
Staffing
DECS acknowledges that there can be no change to staffing arrangements unless by agreement with the AEU because these are secured by industrial agreements.
Their wishlist includes, 45km rule increased to 70km, unlimited tenure for all teaching staff, unlimited right of return.
It should be noted that however some items may not be covered by industrial agreements:
# DECS strategy focuses upon TPT and top ups
# Costs of all surplus teachers transferred to sites
# Introduction of a cost to sites for surplus ancillary staff
# 30 TRT days will be cut each term per 1.0 surplus teaching staff
SASIF accounts
# Applies to all funds in SASIF accounts
# Exempted funds include building, library, OSHC and vacation care, canteen, farm accounts, trusts and scholarships, P&F accounts
# Exempted funds will subject to stricter annual auditing
# DECS examining 5 options.
1) School type
# Specific Limit according to school type
# Preschools $50 000
# Primary $80 000
# Secondary/Area $100 000
2) Enrolment Numbers
# $50 000 up to 100 students
# $80 000 between 101 and 300 students
# $100 000 between 301 and 500 students
# $ 120 000 for 501 and above.
3) Combined enrolment and school type
# Preschools $40 000 - $60 000
# Primary $ 60 000 - $90 000
# Secondary/ Area $90 000 - $120 000
4) Based on 5% RES (2006)
A range between $20 000 and $ 490 000 depending on school size
5) 5% of RES with upper and lower limits
# $40 000 lower to $120 000 upper.
Option 5 favoured by DECS
Energy efficiencies
# 50 sites have met targets
# 550 yet to reach target
# Sustainable Development Grants to be targeted to the 50 biggest energy consumers
# Reduction tied to State Development plan to reduce 2001 consumption rates by 25% - equivalent of $1.8m reduction
# Site redevelopment will include latest energy efficient technology
Water Saving
# Saving of 10% of usage - or $0.7m
# 315 sites have reached target
# ESD funds targeted to top 50 users
Small Programmes/grants
Email links, suggestions and background information to help you get the message through to the state government.
Send an email today telling South Australia's leaders that our schools can't afford their cuts.
Suggested message
Dear ........
I am appalled that DECS and your Government are making children pay for your government's so called efficiency dividends. Why should public education and student learning again suffer at the hands of politicians and bureaucrats?
Indeed, why shouldn't our kids share in the prosperity of a booming economy after the years of denial brought about by the financial stringencies that followed the ALP's state bank disaster?
Make Public Education exempt from your budget cuts and 'efficiency dividends'.
Shame on this State Labor Government.
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