A_Wanderer said:
Firstly there are often situations where private schools share their facilities. Secondly they should not be under any duress to do so. Facilities are part of school property, if it is a private school then the school should have the right to choose if people can use their facilities and for what price.
Forcing owners of private property to share undermines the principle of property ownership. That is a form of idealism that I find abhorent.
Should schools be privatised then? If it is undermining the potential for a caring and sharing relationship between schools, who are (or at least should be), aiming for the same thing, then maybe private education should be eliminated.
To ensure that EVERY student is given every opportunity possible, to do absolutely ANYTHING they aspire to. That might be idealistic, but it is only fair on the not-so-well-off kids.
Remember it's not their fault that they are not-so-well-off, and nor is it necessarilly the parents.
But I don't think the solution to improving education is to eliminate the competition. Name one industry where having one choice has resulted in a good product. Instead, I think turning education into an open and competitive atmosphere is a good idea. Then public schools would be forced to compete for their money, rather than just sitting back, churning the same old crap, and begging for even more money that eventually gets wasted.
I think I'd have a good laugh at seeing more than a few existing public schools close for lack of attendance someday.
Melon
No one said that there is anything wrong with competition. But the main focus should be centered on competition BETWEEN THE CHILDREN rather than a battle for cash and reputation between schools. That is what must be promoted.
That is not to say that competition between the schools should be discouraged. In academia, sport and the arts, schools should be attempting to outdo each other in frequent competitions. What better learning curve for the children, and what better way of introducing children to the dog eat dog world that awaits them.
What we are seeing is a world in which most high-flyers, especially in sport, the arts and in business hail from private schools, What a disheartening thing it is for the poorer parents (and possibly in the years to come, for the children), to know that just because the child did not attend a private school, his or her hopes of achieving their dreams were dashed by an unfortunate case of dilapidated facilities or a school's inability to offer a broad range of opportunities.
In Australia especially, there is a horribly huge discrepancy between private and public schools in both the quality and range of opportunities offered to children in the sporting arena. It is an utter disgrace.
Whereas a private school footy team can afford it's own weights room, swimming pool, professional coach, a well-maintained oval, and is able to organise a proper competition against other schools, that is recognised in the media....
....a public school footy team will compete on just one day a year, in matches that last for just two 20 minute halves on sub-standard ovals with fellow students forced to umpire the games.
Rectification is necessary.
The answer lies beyond feeling obligated to maintain old school tie traditions and traditional capitalist principles of private ownership.
The idea of "don't-have-to, don't-wanna" must not apply to education. Equal opportunity for children, innocent and unaware must be achieved, through whatever means...
