Friday, July 07, 2006

Ronald McDonald school house

In Victoria, Australia, state schools are so dilapidated private/public partnerships are being considered to rebuild them. Here's what one fan of the idea said;

"We'd certainly prefer to have public education funded by the Government," said Parents Victoria president Elaine Crowle.

"We'd hate to have a McDonald's-sponsored school or something."


Dingbat.

5 comments:

backin15 said...

Dingbat why exactly?

What about a school sponsored by Exon, or by Rothmans, or perhaps Lion Nathan.

Surely Lindsay you accept it is the role of the state to fund education, even if not all of it, and that some organisations, such as MacDonalds, might have objectives that are inconsistent with public policy such as in relation to childhood obesity - surely you've raged against this at some point?

Anonymous said...

backin15, what is the problem with privately funded education?

Or health?

Or workplace insurance?

Or unemployment insurance?

Why does the Government have to fund these from taxes - in principle?

Lindsay Mitchell said...

No backin15, I do not accept it is the role of the state to fund education. Leave the tax in people's pockets and let them fund it themselves. If they are without means then they will have to rely on charitable good will of outfits exactly like McDonalds, who by the way sponsor an accommodation home at Starship hospital enabling parents of very sick children to stay with them. Haven't seen anyone protesting about that.
And did it pass you by that it is the STATE schools in Victoria which are so dilapidated?

backin15 said...

Belt. Nothing is inherently wrong with privately funded education and training. That's why I included the caveat in my original comment. This doesn't mean though that public schools should rely on funding for core services from corporates - there's an important role for private education. If you want to disagree with me, at least do me the courtesy of not mistating my argument.

Lindsay. I'm now at least clear that you take the view that the State has the kind of limited role that exists only in ideological text books. We disagree over the role of modern States.

I'm well aware of MacDonald's charitable acts, which are meritorious. This however is not relevant to the issue. A kinda of "look over there" tactic.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Of course McDonald's charitable acts are relevant to this issue. If MacDonalds were to sponsor a school it would be a charitable act.