Education captured by the left

Sounds vaguely familiar.

VICTORIA'S curriculum is left-wing and is pressuring students to conform to the politically correct views held in school texts and by teachers to enhance their chance of academic success, a Melbourne tutor has warned.

In a submission to a federal inquiry into academic freedom, Mark Lopez argues that — in year 12 English in particular — students with non-left views face "additional challenges" and are often disadvantaged if they "cross the teacher's bias".

Dr Lopez, a humanities tutor of 18 years, told the Senate inquiry that, in part, he set up his tutoring business to tackle issues of ideological bias, teacher quality and the "subjective" assessment of students' work.

"The problem of bias is much worse than many assume," he said in his submission.

His concerns are echoed by conservative education consultant Kevin Donnelly, who warns in his submission that some students left school "culturally illiterate and ethically challenged" because they were denied the opportunity to study history or literature "in any systematic or balanced way".

Dr Donnelly said education should be balanced, impartial and disinterested — but he said a lot of students were taught a politically correct view, rather than a balanced view.

"There are serious consequences for young people in terms of not getting a balanced education," Dr Donnelly told The Age. "One of them is that a lot of young people don't have a strong moral compass."

Aaah. But perhaps they have that much vaunted 'social conscience' the left promulgates. And a sense of 'social justice' too. Never mind that both centre on the government as the giver of all that is good.

Perhaps we need a commission of inquiry in this country too....

Or better. Education vouchers that would allow parents to choose a school that taught their children how to think - not what to think.