PRESS RELEASE
LIBERTARIANZ
EDUCATION

Forced Education Fails

"Education is a decision for parents to make, not the state," declares Libertarianz Deputy Leader Stephen Berry in response to Nick Smith's hyperbolic assertion that a woman who refuses to send her children to school is "guilty of child neglect and should be treated as such." Smith's comments come as Education Ministry figures show attacks on teachers are up 15%.

Berry connects the rise in school violence to an increased frustration by students at being herded into 'factory schools' - schools which do not suit the learning methods or aspirations of the student. "If a student wants to muck around and not participate, they will learn more in the real world than they will under a classroom dictator," he says.

"It is not difficult to demonstrate the link between greater enforcement of truancy and a rise in teacher attacks," says Berry. "Parents are forced to send children to a one-size-fits-all 'education' facility or face fines. Children may be wasting their potential in one of the government's factory schools when they may well be better educated by other means in other skills."

Nick Smith attacks the Labour party for its lack of action over truancy and demonstrates his support for a national student database. National's spokesman also blames truancy for youth crime. Berry counters saying, "Youth crime is the result of a lack of responsible ethics, and will not be solved by forcing children into non-conducive environments. Youth crime will reduce only when children are taught personal responsiblity, and parents are granted choice in the means by which their children are educated. A job will teach youth more about personal responsibility than forced lessons in Maori and Political Correctness ever will."

The plan proposed by Libertarianz is to remove compulsion from education; to give the schools back to parents themselves; and to abolish state involvement in education altogether. Berry says, "The problems with education are the result of state interference. More of the same isn't going to solve them."

ENDS

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