Faculties shouldn’t be educating values
As soon as upon a time, when the dimensions of issues was a lot smaller in a village or neighborhood values got here from the household, the dad and mom and grandparents (Letters, February 2). By constructing a toddler’s information base, faculties readied the younger to take part in broader society. The “proper” values had been maybe enhanced however not taught at college. When you condone {that a} up to date faculty “teaches” values then you might be getting into a fraught world. Circa 75 million US residents voted for a documented, confirmed and continual liar to information their lives. What are their values? Did faculty develop that? We should always go away the controversy on private and non-private on the stage of resourcing. Governments shouldn’t outsource training to a revenue or ideologically sure supplier. Neither ought to they ban them, simply don’t allow division and elitism. And a nod to the dad and mom and grandparents nonetheless shaping the values of the younger. Brian Jones, Leura
I don’t need my tax {dollars} going into direct funding of personal faculties, establishing elitism and indoctrination. Producing college students who imagine in their very own privilege after which embark on a lifetime of defending their wealth and place on the expense of others. Then there’s the observe of removing troublesome and needy college students again onto the state system to make their achievements look higher. A good and first rate training is the best of each youngster. Governments should solely fund personal faculties the place there’s a requirement to assist them to a minimal normal and the funding is brazenly accountable. They’re personal and thus should stand on the personal as all different personal companies. Neil Alexander, Grays Level
The youngsters in our faculties deserve a good go from their governments, state and federal, and all faculties must be funded on a foundation of want. We have to return to Gonski and start repairing the harm carried out by nearly a decade of neglect. David Harvey, Drummoyne
My girlfriend had positioned our youngster’s “title down at start” for a secondary personal faculty. We had been interviewed previous to yr 7 and the Christians welcomed us – the one revenue, sinful, unwed verging on irreligious – into their neighborhood. As your correspondent famous, it allowed “an opportunity to mingle with people who find themselves totally different, and an opportunity to know and tolerate others”. It additionally allowed us to share the treasured 1800s structure, the orderliness and the superb educational efficiency of the younger girls and gents. However we additionally quickly noticed that the actual wealth – the friendship, generosity and equality – was widespread, unostentatious and discreet. Ronald Elliott, Sandringham (Vic)
None of what you are promoting
Treasurer Jim ChalmersCredit score:Alex Ellinghausen
The Labor Occasion made an excellent begin on many issues, however falls down badly in its devotion to public/personal partnerships and neoliberal options to issues that neoliberalism created within the first place (“Treasurer’s kumbaya capitalism”, February 2). The sticky fingers of enterprise, the place revenue is king, haven’t any place in childcare, aged care, unemployment and even superannuation, for that matter. Jim Chalmers must assume more durable and will do no higher than asking what John Howard would do, after which do the other. Pat Francis, Jannali
Embracing financial “development” has introduced us to the sting of the climate-change clifftop. Removed from advocating “degrowth”, no matter that’s, I hear progressive social economists requesting stasis and unfold of Earth’s sources, very like compost, to encourage the little issues to develop, quite than continued engorgement for already totally bloated massive customers. Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi
Enact now
Why are they speaking about legislative particulars for a Voice when the present query is about “enshrining” a Voice into the structure (“Albanese challenges Dutton to seek out Voice”, February 2)? It’s a legislated Voice that can spell out the main points and present how the Voice will promote recognition, reconciliation and redress. Maybe the laws must be enacted now by a parliament that has the constitutional energy to take action. We may then have a extra knowledgeable debate about whether or not the idea of the Voice must be within the structure. Ian Bowie, Bowral
Coming unstuck
It’s fairly intelligent referring to the premier as Teflon (“Can Teflon premier save sticky workforce?” , February 2). Teflon is a plastic that ultimately wears off, rendering the product unfit for objective and headed for recycling or waste disposal.
Dominic Perrottet and his “sticky workforce” have ruled NSW utilizing a large sugar hit of debt. NSW’s stage of debt has greater than doubled in Perrottet’s time as treasurer and premier. That is debt that must be carried by future generations as rates of interest rise. Time for a brand new frying pan, possibly with a extra resilient ceramic coating. Glenn Johnson, Leura
About these “floods” and “extra floods”: the premier must show he’s a politician who fulfils the guarantees he makes. Residents of the northern rivers of NSW are completely sick and uninterested in ready for him to cease developments on floodplains, one thing he promised to do in August. Col Shephard, Yamba
Hey, massive spender
Seems just like the Australian Inns Affiliation NSW might make use of the tactic of “it’s a must to spend cash to make cash” with trade sources, telling the Herald they could name on money reserves to fund a third-party election marketing campaign opposing cashless gaming (“Pokie trade considers expensive resistance ways”, February 2). Fortunately for them, the identical tactic doesn’t work for the punters who go to their golf equipment. Graham Taylor, Mona Vale
Improper-ty
The federal authorities has identified since 2016, when a “assessment” about cash laundering was accomplished, that there have been holes in the actual property system that allowed abroad cash laundering by the acquisition of property right here (“Chinese language property syndicate smashed”, February 2). Regardless of legal guidelines to supposedly stop cash laundering being enacted in 2017, these gaps in actual property compliance had been by no means tightened. Nonetheless, I assume the $10 billion value of acquisitions, now “smashed”, helped some sellers. Brenton McGeachie, Queanbeyan West
Face the issue
Chrissy Teigen, with buccal fats eliminated.
One specialist plastic surgeon says altering one’s face to swimsuit social media fads is “problematic” and there ought to at all times be consideration of long-term penalties. One other muses on the stunning “aesthetics of sculptured cheeks and jawlines” (“They’re lancing cheek to cheek”, February 2). We’ve turn out to be such a “plastic” society, prompting photographs of procedures corresponding to buccal fats removing, to be tossed about on social media for tedious, shallow and sometimes harmful scrutiny. I ponder if these specialists, little doubt good at their craft, ever actually ponder, not to mention talk about with the affected person, the “long-term penalties” of their banal expensive endeavours, or simply muse on the stunning aesthetics that they can manufacture whereas counting the {dollars}. Truthfully, the world has gone utterly nuts. Judy Finch, Taree
Radioactive fallout
Negligence personified (“‘Needle in a haystack’: Search over after radioactive capsule present in WA outback”, smh.com.au, February 1). With out understanding the complete particulars, one would assume a radioactive capsule to be transported can be secured in a purpose-built container, in a field, in a field, in a field, and secured contained in the transport car the place the one means out was the best way it got here in. Geoff Simmons, Belrose
Sorry Metropolis
The Metropolis of Sydney has run a mixed inner and outsourced cleaning and waste service for greater than 20 years (Letters, February 2). IPART estimates that 95 per cent of NSW councils outsource no less than one a part of their waste companies, and a major majority of metropolitan councils outsource all their waste features. Having a mixed service allows us to supply a variety of companies, reply to neighborhood wants and reply to systemic shocks with resilience.
As a consequence of circumstances past our management, together with COVID-19, labour scarcity and up to date industrial motion between our service supplier and its workers, now we have skilled disruptions to our companies. We apologise for the inconvenience and are doing every part we are able to to handle this downside. Monica Barone, CEO Metropolis of Sydney
Blissful clappy
I’m a veteran usher on the Metropolis Recital Corridor in Angel Place (Letters, February 2). There’s nothing like experiencing an viewers united in rapt consideration throughout a efficiency. Nobody strikes. A standing ovation is the visceral response on the finish of a beautiful present, and I’m certain the performers find it irresistible. It has nothing to do with attention-seeking. Rosemary Penman, Summer time Hill
In contrast to theatre, most audiences for dance are silent in the course of the efficiency. Absorbed by the dexterity and ability on the stage. On the finish, audiences erupt in applause, whoops and whistles. The dancers’ physique language and facial expressions change by this recognition. Some within the viewers might discover it irritating, however I’m assured forged members admire the expressive gesture. Philip Smith, Waterloo
I ponder if the over-enthusiastic response from theatre audiences is one other American import. I attended a efficiency there some years in the past and, though most of the traces had been amusing, they hardly warranted the virtually hysterical responses. The applause and stamping on the finish of the present was deafening. Robert Sharpe, Bronte
Horsing round
I can keep in mind an fascinating intercourse training lesson in highschool (Letters, February 2). A trainer informed our class to not journey a horse after a boy, as we may fall pregnant. Put me proper off horse driving. Donna-Dianne Walker-Smith, Mittagong
The digital view
On-line remark from one of many tales that attracted essentially the most reader suggestions yesterday on smh.com.au
Why is Australian TV failing to punch by internationally?
From Gilbert: “Our manufacturing, tales, performing simply aren’t that good, sadly. I don’t know whether or not it’s cultural cringe however I tune out once I see Australian landscapes and listen to Australian accents on TV. I dwell the Australian expertise day-after-day and am fascinated with international cultures, totally different views.”
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