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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 6 Hansard (14 June) . . Page.. 1781 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

I have lived in Canberra for over 30 years, and I have brought up four children in north Belconnen. I have been associated with my school communities and my community all that time. Every parent who has brought up children in Canberra and who has a deep and meaningful association with their school and this community understands the enormously detrimental impact which the publication of this sort of comparative information will potentially have on some schools. There are schools that already suffer as a result just of the anecdotal evidence that circulates within the community.

I know of schools in Belconnen that have suffered dreadfully as a result of perceptions about how they perform that are generated within the community. The publication of this sort of information will compound the problem because there will always be a school which performs least well. I know and every parent that has been involved with a school knows what happens in those circumstances. We know what has happened to those schools in relation to which a perception develops.

It is precisely as the P&C Association say. Why do they say it? Because they know. They are reflecting the views of parents who take a deep interest in education, in schools and in their children. What happens is that the bright children leave. What happens is that the good teachers leave. And the problem is compounded. A school that has a perception of itself develop, for whatever reason, that is not-

Mr Moore: That is anecdotal evidence.

MR STANHOPE: Oh, anecdotal is not good enough for Mr Moore? It is not good enough that some of us actually take part in our community, listen to the parents, listen to our constituents and generally understand the problems. It is not good enough to pay some attention to who actually pays a price for the lack of understanding and this attitude: "If your parents are rich enough and you can afford to make a choice, you don't have to worry. If you don't like the school, send them to Canberra Girls Grammar or to some other good school." That is the attitude of this mob.

It does not focus on children from poorer or more disadvantaged households or communities that do not have that choice available to them, and it acts as a wonderful reflection of this It's-their-own-fault-type mentality-"Why don't their parents take them out and send them to another school?" We know it is true. I have seen it in relation to schools in Belconnen, so it is a fact.

Almost everything the P&C Council detailed in their submission on this issue reflects the truth of the matter: once a school establishes a reputation-and it will be compounded if it is formalised through a government program-the school will suffer even more. It will go downhill faster. It will lose that critical mass of good teachers, good teaching programs and children with a range of learning abilities and commitment that allow the school to provide the full range of educational opportunities that every single child deserves, irrespective of their background, their means, where they come from, their aspirations and the aspirations of their parents for them.

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