Letters

Education costs

Arnold Jago

Contents - May 2012 - Buy a copy now Mexico: Benedict XVI's reflection on Our Lady of Guadalupe - Pope Benedict XVI Episcopacy: Brisbane's new Archbishop well-equipped for the challenges - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Obama imposes contraception document on UN - Babette Francis Benedict XVI builds on John Paul II's historic Cuba visit - Michael Gilchrist The culture wars: Archbishop Chaput's call to Christians - Ben Johnson Young adult ministry 2012: more reasons for hope - Br Barry Coldrey Religious Freedom: Catholics in Iraq: a struggle for survival - Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda The Church's dogma of transubstantiation - John Young UK Catholic schools under fire for 'homophobia' - Hilary White Letters: Obvious Link - C.V. Phillips Letters: Pro-life apathy - George Simpson Letters: Rights of children - Robert Bom Letters: Protecting marriage - Brian A. Coman Letters: Tradition - Peter Hill Letters: Year of Grace - Ken Bayliss Letters: Genuflection - John Frey Letters: Education costs - Arnold Jago Letters: Infanticide - Richard Congram Letters: Endorsement - Joy Mason Books: THE GIFT OF INFALLIBILITY, by Bishop Vincent Ferrer Gasser - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: A COMPANION TO CATHOLIC EDUCATION, by Leonardo Franchi and Stephen McKinney (ed) - Angela Schumann (reviewer) Events: The Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite: Sacredness in Continuity Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Nicene Creed's "consubstantial":What does this mean? - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

An expert panel wants Australian governments to spend $5 billion a year extra on schools with three-quarters of it to go to government schools. The important issue, the panel says, "is not who provides the resources for schooling, but that they are actually provided."

What resources? A computer on every desk? Is that what we mean by resourcing education?

At least as important, perhaps, might be having teachers whose good lives inspire children to be disciplined and God-fearing. If children's greatest needs are spiritual, the most important educational changes needed are ones costing  zero dollars but which entail much self-sacrificing by teachers, parents - and by students themselves.

Church schools should be uniquely examples of getting these priorities right. Are they?

ARNOLD JAGO (DR)
 Mildura, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 25 No 4 (May 2012), p. 16