One step forward, two steps back

Dear Reader,

Honouring the Victims of Communism

On November 7th, we Remember the Victims of Communism.

This day serves as a solemn reminder of the estimated 100 million lives lost under communist regimes worldwide and highlights the ongoing fight for freedom for those still living under oppressive totalitarian regimes.

A 2023 poll commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs and Canada’s Fraser Institute, showed worryingly, Australia had the second-highest level of support for communism (20 per cent) 18-34 group among the four countries involved in the poll (Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom). Forty per cent of Australians polled support socialism as the ideal economic system—that percentage increases to 53 per cent among 18-34 year olds. But only 35 per cent of Australian respondents, regardless of age group, understood socialism using its traditional meaning—that is, the government owning the means of production.

As we celebrate the freedoms, innovations and pleasures of democratic life, we must remain vigilant against ill-informed support for ideologies that seek to undermine individual liberty. The political and economic freedoms we enjoy today are not guaranteed. Freedom is a gift that must be cherished and actively defended.

On November 7th it is imperative that we remember the victims of communism, who serve as a sobering reminder of what happens when societies turn away from democratic principles, and in so doing ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Those considering collectivism must be alerted to its impact on individual rights and freedoms. Remembering the victims and learning from history is essential to safeguarding liberty.

As part of the IPA’s work on remembering communist atrocities, we interviewed Youhorn Chea from Cambodia. You can see more about the IPA’s work on Remembering the Victims of Communism and our interview with Youhorn: Click here

Who exactly is the Union serving?

Federal education minister Jason Clare’s “Better and Fairer Schools Agreement” will commence in January 2025 and will run for ten years. The Agreement contains 10 National Reform Directions and states that it has been informed by findings including, but not limited to, the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System and the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National School Reform Agreement.

The Agreement includes a mandate that schools implement proven, evidence-based teaching methods like phonics instruction. At the core of the agreement is the acknowledgement that when information is carefully sequenced, presented in manageable steps, and taught with clear, explicit instruction and sufficient repetition, all children and young people can succeed in their learning.

Explicit instruction is a very efficient strategy for helping students learn because it suits how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. (It used to just be called ‘teaching’). In every school that has implemented the science of learning and cognitive load theory and is teaching according to those tenets, outcomes have improved.

To date three jurisdictions – Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania – have signed the new agreement. However, without consultation with its members, Federal President of the Australian Education Union, Correna Haythorpe said: “The AEU Federal Executive has placed an immediate nation-wide ban on the implementation of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement…”

You can read my Op Ed below on the work bans the AEU has implemented to thwart the reforms that would begin to get education back to basics and empower both teachers and students. I ask who exactly is the Union serving?

An Imperfect Improvement in NSW Civics

The new NSW Year 7-10 History Curriculum has just been released, offering an imperfect but definite improvement, one that includes compulsory and specific material on civics and citizenship. The rationale states that “through the study of history students learn civics and citizenship, which form the basis for Australia’s free, democratic and egalitarian society”. NSW secondary students will now learn about:

• The features of the Australian Constitution, including federalism, the division of powers and separation of powers.
   
• Continuity and change of NSW’s governance structure, with the example of the Supreme Court of NSW and the legacy of the first Chief Justice of the NSW Supreme Court (Francis Forbes).
   
• The significance of the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and how it limited the power of the monarchy.
   
• “Australia: Making a nation from Federation to World War 1”. This is now a compulsory unit for Years 9 &10 study.

While the inclusion of the study of Francis Forbes will enable a welcome classroom discussion on the very topical issue of freedom of speech, a core unit for years 7&8 that considers differing perspectives within a historical context “to develop an understanding of the shared history that has shaped Australia”, ignores the significant contributions of 1788 which formed the foundation of modern Australia and included the rule of law, equality before the law, freedom of the press et al.

We cannot maintain what we don’t know so there is still much to be done, but this curriculum iteration is a positive step forward and the NSW state government should be commended. Other states should take note.

Class Action Out and About

Chapter 3 of Connor Court’s recently published book The End of the World: Climate Change and Its Anxieties is co-authored by John Roskam and myself.

In this chapter we ask how people so young could be so stressed about the world’s climate if it hadn’t been explicitly taught to them? We say organisations of all stripes around the globe agree there is a mental health eco-anxiety pandemic. The real question is not what is causing it – but WHO.

The book is available for purchase here:

The End of the World: Climate Change and Its Anxieties

You can listen to an interview on 4BC Mornings with Peter Fegan on age-appropriate education content:

Colleen Harkin On Age Appropriate Education Content Mornings 4BC – 15 October 2024 | Class Action

My article published in The Spectator Australia regarding the AEU ban can be read here:

Spectator publication: 

AEU serving themselves, not teachers or students | The Spectator Australia

Class Action Event

Invitation to Class Action Perth Event

Class Action will hold a gathering for interested parents and teachers in PERTH.

Date:
Wednesday, 13th November 

Time:
7:00pm – 9:00pm

Where:
Claremont Hotel,
Grevillea Room
1 Bay View Terrace
Claremont, WA 6010

Registration:
This is a free event, but bookings are essential.
To book click on the image below

Support IPA Education Research:

The IPA’s Class Action schools program connects our research with parents and teachers to focus on reforming the education system and seizing current opportunities to provide balanced education for students.

Your donation will support our efforts to hold those in authority accountable and invest in the future of education and empower students and educators alike. Every donation helps us continue this crucial work. You can make a donation to support our education research by clicking here.

Quote:

The AEU’s ban on the Minister’s Agreement and his attempts to ensure practices that will improve literacy and numeracy are implemented, is a blight on the union and its bona fides.

Similarly, teaching students about the value, but also the fragility of democracy and all that it offers – that is absent in the National Curriculum – also reminded me of this quote:

“Teach the children so it will not be necessary to teach the adults”.

Abraham Lincoln