Union Songs
Dear John
A song by ©2004 Phyl Lobl
They're missing out on bigotry, they're missing out on hate,
The children of Australia educated by the state,
They're missing out on funding so that private schools get pools,
While public teachers bend their brains by sticking to the rules.Chorus
Who was it said,'Blessed are the peacemakers'?
But understanding that seems to be beyond your reach,
Who was it said, 'Do now unto others'?
They are the values public teachers teach.This country it was built upon a public system fine,
Where all could be included and the talented could shine,
Didn't matter what their father did to earn the daily bread,
If the kid was smart they played their part, what will we have instead?I don't think that Baby Jesus would give a Tinker's cuss
If funding could be turned around and given back to us,
Don't think he needs Nativities of be-at-if-i-cation,
I think he would appreciate, fair-go education.So come on John will you don thinking cap or dunce?
Be honest now (if you know how) be honest now for once.
Remember funding ghettos begins with funding schools,
When you lose control of syllabus anyone can make the rules.
Notes
Many thanks to Phyl Lobl for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection.
Phyl writes:
Why do I write songs?
Sometimes (but not always) because I'm pissed off.
As was the case for this one.On 20th January 2004 John Howard, the Prime Minister, claimed that parents were removing children from public schools because they were "too politically correct and too values-neutral". Howard also attacked the teachers and their unions, claiming they had too much power and restricted the ability of principals to run schools.
The NSW Teachers' Federation points out that Approximately 70% of the Federal Education Budget is allocated to private schools which take only 30% of the students.