Private education nothing to be proud of

Like Georgia Cable, I was educated at a private school. Unlike Georgia, however, I am not proud of the fact. I recognise that my parents worked hard to send me there, and I appreciate their efforts, but I also understand that while this might have benefitted me personally, it was actually to the detriment of my community and our larger society. Of course people are free to spend their money as they see fit, but we should nevertheless exhort them to spend their money - their effort, their thought, their dedication - where it serves not only their children's immediate and narrow interests, but also helps to create a world in which their children might actually like to live. I don't wish to engage again in the private-public funding debate; let others squabble about money. Let me just say that your local public school needs your help, Georgia Cable. The children that you see about you, not just the ones in your family, but all of them out there, need your support. You might say that you already support them by paying tax, but that is a heartless response. You can build roads and battleships by paying taxes, but educating our children requires a more personal commitment. So I give thanks to my mum and dad, but am I proud of my privileged education? No, never.

Lee Borkman

14 January 2009