A unanimous call has been made by residents to the NSW Premier and Minister of Education to sign the Putting Students First Charter and has challenged both Leslie Williams and Andrew Stoner to do the same.
The stance was made at a community meeting attended by over 100 residents at Port Macquarie Public School on Friday.
Attendees heard from three speakers who told them what the Local Schools Local Decisions and Every Student Every School will really mean to public schools in the Hastings, Camden Haven and Port Macquarie.
A spokesperson said residents were stunned to hear from Jeff Ainsworth, Regional Organiser, NSW Teachers Federation and Mark Thurston, President, Port Macquarie Teachers Association, that there would be an immediate reduction in support for students with mental health and autism diagnoses attending mainstream classes.
“Maintaining current class sizes and offering a full curriculum in high schools will also be at risk because principals will no longer be allowed to staff their schools according to the number of students enrolled.
Local parent, School Learning Support Officer, Hastings Public School Council member and mother of three, Virginia Sheaves, spoke out for the absolute necessity for class teachers and all students to have access to more, not fewer School Learning Support Officers.
Mrs Sheaves explained to the audience how important the work of these workers were to the daily education of all students in the same class as a student with additional needs due to a disability diagnosis, behaviour or learning disorder.
The meeting, organised by three local Teachers Associations – Camden Haven, Hastings River and Port Macquarie, invited parents, school staff and community members, due to the fact several local schools will have their substantive funding cut under these proposed arrangements and will also lose resources under the smokescreen of giving more autonomy to local principals.
The meeting unanimously supported the “Putting Students First” Charter and supported the NSW Teachers Federation’s opposition to the Government’s retrograde educational policies.
More information is available at www.localcuts.com.au.
