The Private School sector is complaining, understandably, about Labor’s undertaking to cut funding to rich private schools. Some from the private school sector have been quoted as stating that without the funding, they will have to increase fees. They fail to state that these fees are required to fund the astonishing infrastructure and services that some of these schools offer. It is wonderful that they offer these services, but they are services that benefit only those children whose parents can afford to send them there. Why should the public fund the services and infrastructure for those parents who send their children to private schools: they get the benefit from those services and facilities; so let them pay for them?
They further argue that parents of students in the private school system often make considerable sacrifices to send their children to such schools or that they put great value on a good education. True. But is the implication therefore that parents who send their children to government schools don’t make sacrifices or don’t value education? What an incredibly elitist and insulting attitude.
If parents do not want the services and facilities offered by the government education sector, then that is their prerogative, and they are entirely free to send the children to any educational system they wish. But don’t ask those who don’t get the benefit from those private facilities to fund them.