Jeruselem
23-06-2004, 14:41
Yes, our favourite Australian Prime Minister is doing another is his "Copy the US" stunts. Read the following ...
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/22/1087844937754.html?oneclick=true
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2004/06/22/23TAN_FLAG.jpg
I'm asking Americans about this flag waving stuff.
...
Article text
Every school in Australia will be required to fly the national flag from next year to qualify for their share of the Howard Government's new $31 billion federal schools package.
Schools will also have to provide at least two hours a week of physical education as part of a host of new conditions for receiving their money.
The changes, foreshadowed yesterday by Prime Minister John Howard and Education Minister Brendan Nelson, were attacked by the Labor Party and parent and teacher groups, but won praise from monarchists.
Mr Howard rejected suggestions that the flag requirement was old-fashioned. "I don't think there's anything old-fashioned about the display of patriotic symbols," he said.
He said he would also like to hear the national anthem sung in schools, but it would not be a funding condition.
The flag move comes after Mr Howard sparked a furore in January when he blamed a "values-neutral" and "politically correct" state system for the drift from public to private schools.
The Opposition has indicated it will pass the legislation to give schools funding certainty for next year, but criticised the flag plan, saying most schools already flew the flag and respected national symbols. "The thing that John Howard and Brendan Nelson have completely missed is that schools actually need great classrooms, lots of teachers, and the funding to make sure that they have these facilities," said Labor education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin.
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In other changes aimed at national consistency, schools will be required to commit to common outcomes tests in maths, science, English, civics and citizenship, and states will have to agree on a common school starting age by 2010.
Schools will have to provide parents with "plain language" report cards, and publish information about their academic results, school leaver destinations, absentee rates and teachers' qualifications.
And as part of the Government's obesity package to be announced next week, students from prep to year 10 must have two hours of physical education during or after school hours each week.
Victoria's acting Education Minister, Jacinta Allan, said the flag plan was an "election-year stunt" aimed at covering Canberra's inadequate funding of government schools.
She said many schools already took pride in flying the flag, and there were existing requirements for schools in Victoria to devote a set amount of time to physical education.
Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Mary Bluett said the flag plan was "a nonsense" that would force many schools to divert scarce funding - close to $20,000 - to build or replace old flagpoles.
The union's federal president, Pat Byrne, said: "It's a preoccupation with appearances rather than substance. Issues of civics education are far more subtle, and far more wide-ranging that whether or not you have a functioning flagpole."
Andrew Blair of the Victorian Association of State School Principals said he hoped the flag plan would not mean "a return to colonial Australia days" and that it was accompanied by programs recognising "the multicultural nature of our community".
The national convener of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, David Flint, described the flag plan as an excellent idea, saying that in any country you would "expect the schools to fly the flag and the children to see the national symbol in front of them".
Independent Schools of Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said a survey had shown that the vast majority of independent schools already had poles with Australian flags.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/22/1087844937754.html?oneclick=true
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2004/06/22/23TAN_FLAG.jpg
I'm asking Americans about this flag waving stuff.
...
Article text
Every school in Australia will be required to fly the national flag from next year to qualify for their share of the Howard Government's new $31 billion federal schools package.
Schools will also have to provide at least two hours a week of physical education as part of a host of new conditions for receiving their money.
The changes, foreshadowed yesterday by Prime Minister John Howard and Education Minister Brendan Nelson, were attacked by the Labor Party and parent and teacher groups, but won praise from monarchists.
Mr Howard rejected suggestions that the flag requirement was old-fashioned. "I don't think there's anything old-fashioned about the display of patriotic symbols," he said.
He said he would also like to hear the national anthem sung in schools, but it would not be a funding condition.
The flag move comes after Mr Howard sparked a furore in January when he blamed a "values-neutral" and "politically correct" state system for the drift from public to private schools.
The Opposition has indicated it will pass the legislation to give schools funding certainty for next year, but criticised the flag plan, saying most schools already flew the flag and respected national symbols. "The thing that John Howard and Brendan Nelson have completely missed is that schools actually need great classrooms, lots of teachers, and the funding to make sure that they have these facilities," said Labor education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin.
Advertisement
Advertisement
In other changes aimed at national consistency, schools will be required to commit to common outcomes tests in maths, science, English, civics and citizenship, and states will have to agree on a common school starting age by 2010.
Schools will have to provide parents with "plain language" report cards, and publish information about their academic results, school leaver destinations, absentee rates and teachers' qualifications.
And as part of the Government's obesity package to be announced next week, students from prep to year 10 must have two hours of physical education during or after school hours each week.
Victoria's acting Education Minister, Jacinta Allan, said the flag plan was an "election-year stunt" aimed at covering Canberra's inadequate funding of government schools.
She said many schools already took pride in flying the flag, and there were existing requirements for schools in Victoria to devote a set amount of time to physical education.
Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Mary Bluett said the flag plan was "a nonsense" that would force many schools to divert scarce funding - close to $20,000 - to build or replace old flagpoles.
The union's federal president, Pat Byrne, said: "It's a preoccupation with appearances rather than substance. Issues of civics education are far more subtle, and far more wide-ranging that whether or not you have a functioning flagpole."
Andrew Blair of the Victorian Association of State School Principals said he hoped the flag plan would not mean "a return to colonial Australia days" and that it was accompanied by programs recognising "the multicultural nature of our community".
The national convener of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, David Flint, described the flag plan as an excellent idea, saying that in any country you would "expect the schools to fly the flag and the children to see the national symbol in front of them".
Independent Schools of Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said a survey had shown that the vast majority of independent schools already had poles with Australian flags.