My Article

[MiSsMeLz]

First of all let me say.... YAY I'VE REACHED 100 POSTS!!!!

OK, now thats out of my system LMAO

I know that grammyjo writes articles for her local paper and I thought that I would see what you ladies think of an article I wrote a little while ago in regards to another John Howard blunder. I have asked admin whether I am allowed to post this, but there mustn't be any online atm or they're ignoring me lol.

I'm sorry if this offends anyone. I can't really see how it could, but I'm sorry if it does :hug:

P.S. Warning it is long lol.

John Howard’s Latest Blunder

Do you think that John Howard and his team of cronies actually think about something before they introduce it to the Australian community? Take for instance their latest blunder with education. What do they think they are going to achieve by putting chaplains in every school? Yes, a lot of the Australian community will be of the same religion as the chaplain that’s at their school, but what about the rest of the community at large? What are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and the other religions around going to do with a Christian chaplain? A little Hindu girl is not going to feel comfortable going to a Christian chaplain to talk about her problems, when she knows that he/she is from a different religion to her family. The wrong religion as her family might tell her.

If families want their children to have some form of religion in their life, then why cant they just take them to church occasionally or send them to church with a family friend that goes, if they themselves are not comfortable going? How can the John Howard government justify spending all that money putting a chaplain in every school, when he has to know that not every child will benefit from it. That maybe half the school that a chaplain gets sent to, is a different religion to the chaplain?

How can they justify that and then close down half the schools in the ACT? By spending that money on chaplains and then shutting down those schools, they are forcing children to be up-rooted from their school and forced to go to another one. That is also causing the amount of children in each of the classrooms of the schools that remain open, to be added to and then the children are getting even less personal attention and not being given the opportunity to learn as best they can, to the best of their ability.

Teachers have enough trouble giving each child the attention they deserve when learning in a classroom of say 15-20 children. These schools are now being asked to fit more children in. How can that be for the benefit of the child? How is that going to make things easier on families in those communities? They may now have to travel further to take their children to school.

The most important aspect for children at school is that they learn. That is the whole reason there is such a things as schools. Putting a chaplain in the schools will only benefit some of the children. Shutting down schools and forcing children to change schools, affects every child at the school that gets shut and every child that the school that got to stay open has to take in.

By Mel Brennan

So what do you think?

xx Melz

[mummyof3babes]

That's great Melz and I enjoyed reading it, thanks.:)

[MiSsMeLz]

Thanks. Children are something that I'm passionate about and I don't like that the Howard Government are screwing around with them.

xx Melz

[Heather]

I have to admit that I agree with the gist of your article and your sentiments.
Would be interesting to know what sort of feedback you received.
Nice to see someone get so involved with education issues.
I think, however, that the articles that Jo is seeking are ones that will let her community read about day to day life in other communities. For example, I thought of getting the TT to write about his school holidays.....maybe even share his first day back at school after a 7 week break.
I'm sure Jo will clarify it all for you.

[MiSsMeLz]

I wasn't writing this for Jo, I just wrote it because when I heard about what he was doing, it pissed me off and I just wrote to get it off my chest. I just mentioned Jo, because I know she writes articles as well :)

xx Melz

[djmastermum]

This just reminds me of why I chose to home school my kids in the 1st place, but I am no longer able to continue due to my health.

I had to decide that sending them to school would offer them more than I am now able too.

I can't be saying, 'Kids, I am too tired to teach you today, go and play."

At least I know they are ready to go into mainstream schooling, Branden has been put into a grade above. And they are now both looking foward to going in a couple of weeks :D

[MiSsMeLz]

I think sending kids to school is great for the friendships that they will make and the interaction with the other children, but I just hate that the government thinks they can just do what they like with the schooling system and bugger the kids that have to deal with it.

xx Melz

[kimba]

I get the gist of your article too. Am glad to see someone actually try to do something about an issue rather than whinge about it!!! Hopefully you received some positive feedback.

[MiSsMeLz]

I haven't published it anywhere. I don't know where to start.

xx Melz

[mummyof3babes]

Start by sending a copy to 'That's Life', 'Take 5', 'New Idea', 'Woman's Day' etc... magazines, that can make you some money and have your work shown. I've had afew pieces published in mags and when the cheques turn up in your letterbox it's a fantastic feeling! Also send copies to your local papers and even major papers, the worst that can happen is a rejection letter, so then you keep on trying, never give up, you will be printed somewhere.:)

[Bloom]

I think its up to the family to get religion taught to the kids, not the schools.. well not public schools. If one wants their kids to learn about their religion, they hsould go to the private schools that specialise in that area!

IMO!

[Patricia]

I agree that it is not a responsibility of the schooling system.

[Akeema]

In my sons primary school they offer a generic form of Religion.. only some groups are exempt from this form and they have there own religion classes.. I think that having a basic form of RE (Religious Education) in schools is a great idea as it gives the child another POV.. and that is what schools are for.. to educate children in every possible avenue.. having said that though. I dont agree with chaplins in schools as that adds an unnecessary pressure to conform to a certain religious belief.. and if the reasoning behind putting chaplins in schools is so kids have someone to talk to.. isnt that what Guidance Officers are for????

RE in our school is taught by our normal teachers.. and Mel.. tell me where in any public school you will find classes that small.. most classes here are 20-30 students.. - but then our school does have over 900 students..

[MiSsMeLz]

Which is exactly what i was getting across. I will have to see whether those mags and newspapers etc have the option to send them stuff via the net.

My old primary school in Brisbane had a max of 22 kids per class or something similar to that. They may have more than that in them now. I was in Primary school a while ago lol.

xx Melz

[mel35]

Class sizes on the coast are a lot less than when I was at school. We always had 30 - 35 in each class wheras my kids classes usually don't go over 25.
But I do agree with you on the chaplain issue, seems like a big waste of money.

[MiSsMeLz]

Church is free, so why waste valuable education money on something that is free somewhere else and that isn't necessarilly going to benefit the children?

xx Melz