BY NOREEN NAVIN
SYDNEY — The April release of the NSW Labor government's "Building the Future" report has generated a community backlash not seen since former NSW Coalition education minister Terry Metherell took the axe to public education in the 1980s. The report outlines plans to drastically restructure many inner city schools.
The government argues that "changing demographics" and declining enrolments make necessary its plan to close some schools and establish additional single-sex schools in their place. The report doesn't attempt to explain why enrolments at some comprehensive co-educational schools are actually increasing.
Parents and Citizens Federation (PCF) publicity officer Rodney Molesworth disputes this argument. He says that in the areas where the restructure is being proposed, there are several residential developments of up to 30,000 dwellings which will inevitably be filled with people who will want to send their children to local public schools.
The government does not even pretend that the changes will halt the decline in enrolments at public schools.
Since the government's plans were announced, more than 2000 people have attended protest meetings at effected schools.
On March 31, 400 people attended a public meeting at Glebe Public School. The meeting was called by local Labor MP Sandra Nori. When asked by angry constituents if she would support the community's demand to leave the schools as they are, Nori replied that she was "listening" but added that the "nitty gritty" still had to be sorted out. This response provoked angry shouts of "You are not listening to us — you'll be out in the next election".
Parents at the meeting argued against school closures and restructuring. PCF president Bev Baker warned the Glebe meeting that school communities needed to unite against the government's plans because its strategy is to pit local communities against each other.
At the Hunters Hill public meeting on April 2 some 500 people voiced their disgust at the proposed changes. NSW Teachers Federation representative Roz Jenner told the meeting that the federation had voted to organise a whole-school "excursion" to Parliament House next term.
Two hundred people attended a public meeting at Cleveland Street High School on April 5. The meeting discussed the proposed amalgamation of Redfern, Waterloo, Erskineville and Alexandria primary schools and the relocation of their students to the Cleveland Street school site. This would force the current Cleveland Street High School students to attend either the proposed junior girls school at Balmain or the junior boys school at Leichhardt and then relocate to Glebe High for their senior years, or to travel great distances to the nearest co-educational comprehensive high school.
A rally organised by Save Our Schools (SOS) at Marrickville High School was attended by about 70 parents, students and supporters, and included contingents from Hunters Hill, Leichhardt, Balmain and Dulwich high schools. SOS speakers highlighted the need for schools to be kept open, with funding to be redirected from the private school system to public schools.
A rally has been called by SOS for May 10 at the Department of Education and Training office, 35 Bridge Street, city, at 4.30pm. A planning and strategies meeting will be held at 6pm on May 24 at Herb Reiby Hall, Marrickville.
To contact Save Our Schools phone Noreen 0415 437 997 or John 0438 641 587.