Awards In Recognition Of Dullness
"In summing up the Goodman Fielder School of the Year Awards, Chris France of the New Zealand School Trustees
Association gushed forth with the usual touchy feely commentary about New Zealand schools 'achieving academic
excellence.' I take strong issue with those platitudes," says Peter Osborne, Libertarianz Spokesman to Deregulate
Education.
"It's so easy for Mr France to blow off about 'excellence in New Zealand schools' when he doesn't have to back such
drivel up with objective fact," says Osborne scornfully. "I could argue just as easily that New Zealand schools are
nothing more than Government conditioning centres dressed in drag; that excellence in education is and always will be
unattainable while students, parents and teachers are forced to endure the current state monopoly; that, in fact, Mr
France has nothing to compare our state schools to except other state schools, as all schools are pinned down by Nanny's
regulations and curriculum. I submit, in summary, that his comment is moot."
"By contrast," says Osborne,"my argument has plenty of evidence to back it up - a century's worth in fact. Throughout
this period one trend has consistently emerged above all others: the more tax victims' money that the government spends
on education and the tighter the grip that government holds over the sector, the more the results show an increasing
deterioration in general educational standards." Pointing to plummeting literacy and numeracy levels in recent years, he
says this is "consonant with the period in which government has dramatically imposed greater control over education at
all levels."
Mr Osborne concludes angrily, "We recognise that politicians generally couldn't give a rat's arse about the educational
well-being of our children. Obedience and a learned inability to think for one's self are not what one would want for
one's child, but they are vital for the health of the state - hence the tight noose on our children held by our
compulsory education system." Libertarianz, he says, will release education from the State altogether. " In a free
market it will not be long before excellence in education will make our current system look like it really is...dull -
this week's awards notwhistanding."
Libertarianz: More Freedom - Less Government