Scott Morrison has used the threat of withdrawing independent and Catholic schools’ recurrent funding to enlist their support in keeping non-government schools open during the Covid-19 crisis. After Morrison’s discussions with both sectors on Wednesday, the Association of Independent Schools NSW has written to its members backing his position to keep schools open and noting the prime minister had warned “there were certain expectations attached to the recurrent funding provided by the Australian Government to Catholic and independent schools”.
Glayds Berejiklian, rebuked independent schools which have chosen to shut down. “We would prefer that everybody is absolutely on the same page when it comes to all the stakeholders in education,” she said. “There is no rationale for closing down schools.”
Sorry Gladys, this is patently false. The rationale for NOT closing down schools is contrived using distorted interpretation of the evidence.