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| School curriculum review panellist Kevin Donnelly hits back at critics | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A conservative education commentator reviewing the national curriculum has hit back at “vitriolic” attacks on his credentials, arguing he would be “near the top of the list” of people best qualified to examine the issue. | A conservative education commentator reviewing the national curriculum has hit back at “vitriolic” attacks on his credentials, arguing he would be “near the top of the list” of people best qualified to examine the issue. |
| Kevin Donnelly - who will join public policy academic Ken Wiltshire in reviewing what is taught in schools – said he was not seeking to overturn the national curriculum and replace it with “an ideological conservative one”. | Kevin Donnelly - who will join public policy academic Ken Wiltshire in reviewing what is taught in schools – said he was not seeking to overturn the national curriculum and replace it with “an ideological conservative one”. |
| An open letter to the education minister, Christopher Pyne, signed by 176 educators, has noted that the two panellists were highly critical of the national curriculum and questioned whether they would “hold the requisite openness to diverse views and perspectives required to produce a balanced and fair review”. | An open letter to the education minister, Christopher Pyne, signed by 176 educators, has noted that the two panellists were highly critical of the national curriculum and questioned whether they would “hold the requisite openness to diverse views and perspectives required to produce a balanced and fair review”. |
| Interviewed on ABC radio on Tuesday, Donnelly argued that the central focus of the review commissioned by the federal government would be to find ways to raise standards and ease the burden on teachers, rather than addressing claims of left-wing bias in the national curriculum. | Interviewed on ABC radio on Tuesday, Donnelly argued that the central focus of the review commissioned by the federal government would be to find ways to raise standards and ease the burden on teachers, rather than addressing claims of left-wing bias in the national curriculum. |
| Pyne announced the appointment of Donnelly and Wiltshire on Friday, setting a June deadline for a review that would in part consider concerns that the curriculum downplayed western civilisation, the Anzac story and the role of conservative prime ministers while placing excessive focus on unions and the Labor party. | Pyne announced the appointment of Donnelly and Wiltshire on Friday, setting a June deadline for a review that would in part consider concerns that the curriculum downplayed western civilisation, the Anzac story and the role of conservative prime ministers while placing excessive focus on unions and the Labor party. |
| Groups representing parents and teachers told Guardian Australia on Monday the review was premature because the national curriculum was yet to be fully implemented in all states and territories. The Tasmanian education minister, Nick McKim, denounced the choice of Donnelly and Wiltshire, saying the review had “all the hallmarks of a brainwashing and propaganda mission to let Mr Pyne impose his extreme right-wing views on Australian students”. | Groups representing parents and teachers told Guardian Australia on Monday the review was premature because the national curriculum was yet to be fully implemented in all states and territories. The Tasmanian education minister, Nick McKim, denounced the choice of Donnelly and Wiltshire, saying the review had “all the hallmarks of a brainwashing and propaganda mission to let Mr Pyne impose his extreme right-wing views on Australian students”. |
| On Tuesday, Pyne defended Donnelly and Wiltshire as “excellent appointments” and said everyone who had been to school had a view about education. | On Tuesday, Pyne defended Donnelly and Wiltshire as “excellent appointments” and said everyone who had been to school had a view about education. |
| "Whomever had been appointed, there would be criticism of their particular views. I think both men will do a very objective job and make sure that our curriculum is the best in the world. There's no reason we should settle for second best,” Pyne said at a media conference in Canberra. | "Whomever had been appointed, there would be criticism of their particular views. I think both men will do a very objective job and make sure that our curriculum is the best in the world. There's no reason we should settle for second best,” Pyne said at a media conference in Canberra. |
| He said results had declined over the past 30 years while a "particular education establishment" had been "in power" and it was "time for some fresh eyes". | He said results had declined over the past 30 years while a "particular education establishment" had been "in power" and it was "time for some fresh eyes". |
| Donnelly singled out Ken Boston, a former head of the NSW education department and member of the Gonski review panel, for making a “vitriolic personal attack” on his integrity. | Donnelly singled out Ken Boston, a former head of the NSW education department and member of the Gonski review panel, for making a “vitriolic personal attack” on his integrity. |
| Boston told the ABC on Friday that Wiltshire was “a serious academic” for whom he had “a great deal of respect” but Donnelly had a history of voicing ill-considered and uninformed views. | Boston told the ABC on Friday that Wiltshire was “a serious academic” for whom he had “a great deal of respect” but Donnelly had a history of voicing ill-considered and uninformed views. |
| Boston said Donnelly launched “attacks on anyone who disagrees with him as being members of the cultural left and that includes the leaders of education in each of the states, teachers, the Fairfax press and most recently, the ABC”. | Boston said Donnelly launched “attacks on anyone who disagrees with him as being members of the cultural left and that includes the leaders of education in each of the states, teachers, the Fairfax press and most recently, the ABC”. |
| “He is not taken seriously. He doesn't engage with reasoned argument or evidence. His views or rantings, frankly, are well known and have been disregarded for many years,” Boston said. | “He is not taken seriously. He doesn't engage with reasoned argument or evidence. His views or rantings, frankly, are well known and have been disregarded for many years,” Boston said. |
| Donnelly said: “I was talking to my daughter the other day and she was looking at some of the tweets in the Twittersphere and some of the emails going around and she heard some of Ken Boston’s quite vitriolic personal attack on my professional integrity and qualifications on the ABC radio ... and she was appalled. The reality is I taught for 18 years, I have a master’s degree and a doctorate in curriculum studies, I’ve undertaken three benchmarking projects in Australia and New Zealand; if there’s anybody qualified to look at curriculum then I think I’d have to be near the top of the list.” | Donnelly said: “I was talking to my daughter the other day and she was looking at some of the tweets in the Twittersphere and some of the emails going around and she heard some of Ken Boston’s quite vitriolic personal attack on my professional integrity and qualifications on the ABC radio ... and she was appalled. The reality is I taught for 18 years, I have a master’s degree and a doctorate in curriculum studies, I’ve undertaken three benchmarking projects in Australia and New Zealand; if there’s anybody qualified to look at curriculum then I think I’d have to be near the top of the list.” |
| Donnelly downplayed his former role as a chief of staff to the Liberal minister Kevin Andrews, saying he performed that job “for about a year”, but education was his “first love” and the review would be independent. | Donnelly downplayed his former role as a chief of staff to the Liberal minister Kevin Andrews, saying he performed that job “for about a year”, but education was his “first love” and the review would be independent. |
| “You can get involved in the hurly-burly of the day-to-day political debate but at the same time in such an important and significant review as this you can be objective and balanced; and that’s why the whole process will be quite transparent, there are terms of reference, there’s a web page, anybody can put in a submission and they will be duly read and noted.” | “You can get involved in the hurly-burly of the day-to-day political debate but at the same time in such an important and significant review as this you can be objective and balanced; and that’s why the whole process will be quite transparent, there are terms of reference, there’s a web page, anybody can put in a submission and they will be duly read and noted.” |
| Donnelly said the review was needed because student performance in literacy, numeracy, mathematics and science was declining or flatlining. | Donnelly said the review was needed because student performance in literacy, numeracy, mathematics and science was declining or flatlining. |
| He said he and Wiltshire would consult state and territory governments – whose support would be crucial to implementing the recommendations – and “education experts from around Australia”. | He said he and Wiltshire would consult state and territory governments – whose support would be crucial to implementing the recommendations – and “education experts from around Australia”. |
| In an opinion piece in Fairfax newspapers on Tuesday, Donnelly denied the claims of critics that the review’s outcomes were predetermined. | In an opinion piece in Fairfax newspapers on Tuesday, Donnelly denied the claims of critics that the review’s outcomes were predetermined. |
| But he repeated his concerns with the emphasis of the three cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures; Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia; and sustainability. | But he repeated his concerns with the emphasis of the three cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures; Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia; and sustainability. |
| “Now, that’s a good thing, but I’d argue the pendulum has moved too far towards that kind of approach and we really need to balance that with an understanding that our political, our legal institutions are derived from western civilisation, so I think children need good grounding in that,” Donnelly told the ABC. | “Now, that’s a good thing, but I’d argue the pendulum has moved too far towards that kind of approach and we really need to balance that with an understanding that our political, our legal institutions are derived from western civilisation, so I think children need good grounding in that,” Donnelly told the ABC. |
| “Geographically we’re part of Asia; I’ve got no problem with that. Our Indigenous people need to be respected; their story has to be told, but equally I would argue that the history of this nation, its legal and political institutions in particular, can only be understood in terms of that western narrative.” | “Geographically we’re part of Asia; I’ve got no problem with that. Our Indigenous people need to be respected; their story has to be told, but equally I would argue that the history of this nation, its legal and political institutions in particular, can only be understood in terms of that western narrative.” |
| As highlighted by a Guardian Australia analysis on Friday, the national curriculum includes a module in Year 6 history on Australia as a Nation focused on “key figures and events that led to Australia’s Federation, including British and American influences on Australia’s system of law and government”. It talks about “identifying key elements of Australia’s system of law and government and their origins (for example the Magna Carta; federalism; constitutional monarchy; the Westminster system and the separation of powers – legislature, executive, judiciary; the houses of parliament; how laws are made)”. | As highlighted by a Guardian Australia analysis on Friday, the national curriculum includes a module in Year 6 history on Australia as a Nation focused on “key figures and events that led to Australia’s Federation, including British and American influences on Australia’s system of law and government”. It talks about “identifying key elements of Australia’s system of law and government and their origins (for example the Magna Carta; federalism; constitutional monarchy; the Westminster system and the separation of powers – legislature, executive, judiciary; the houses of parliament; how laws are made)”. |
| The open letter to Pyne raises concerns about the framing of the review as removing partisan bias from the curriculum. It says the lengthy development of the national curriculum “involved contributions from thousands of stakeholders, including teachers and other educators, students, and parents and community members” and was negotiated with state and territory governments of various political persuasions. | The open letter to Pyne raises concerns about the framing of the review as removing partisan bias from the curriculum. It says the lengthy development of the national curriculum “involved contributions from thousands of stakeholders, including teachers and other educators, students, and parents and community members” and was negotiated with state and territory governments of various political persuasions. |
| Its signatories include Professor Peter Renshaw, head of the school of education at the University of Queensland; Garry Collins, president of the Australian Association for the Teaching of English; Dr David Zyngier, senior lecturer in curriculum and pedagogy at Monash University; and Dr Maggie Clarke, senior lecturer at the University of Western Sydney. | Its signatories include Professor Peter Renshaw, head of the school of education at the University of Queensland; Garry Collins, president of the Australian Association for the Teaching of English; Dr David Zyngier, senior lecturer in curriculum and pedagogy at Monash University; and Dr Maggie Clarke, senior lecturer at the University of Western Sydney. |
| “Whilst it is true that some commentators have raised voices about alleged 'bias' and inadequacies in the curriculum, these critiques have come from 'left' as well as 'right' and most who have put work into, and engaged with, the new curriculum so far – in schools, state governments and universities – do not see a strong bias in either direction,” the open letter says. | “Whilst it is true that some commentators have raised voices about alleged 'bias' and inadequacies in the curriculum, these critiques have come from 'left' as well as 'right' and most who have put work into, and engaged with, the new curriculum so far – in schools, state governments and universities – do not see a strong bias in either direction,” the open letter says. |
| The letter describes the timing of the review as “highly disruptive” to students and teachers because not all states and territories had completed full implementation of the curriculum from foundation to year 10 in English, history, mathematics and science. The suggestion that changes could be made in time for the 2015 school year “demonstrates a lack of understanding of the processes of thoughtful planning that classroom implementation requires on the part of schools and teachers and a gross misunderstanding of teachers’ work”. | The letter describes the timing of the review as “highly disruptive” to students and teachers because not all states and territories had completed full implementation of the curriculum from foundation to year 10 in English, history, mathematics and science. The suggestion that changes could be made in time for the 2015 school year “demonstrates a lack of understanding of the processes of thoughtful planning that classroom implementation requires on the part of schools and teachers and a gross misunderstanding of teachers’ work”. |
| On Tuesday the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW issued a statement warning that a comprehensive review of the curriculum content may "undermine the confidence of teachers, senior students and parents at a critical time in the implementation phase". | On Tuesday the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW issued a statement warning that a comprehensive review of the curriculum content may "undermine the confidence of teachers, senior students and parents at a critical time in the implementation phase". |
| Donnelly said he aimed to perform the review from the perspective of the classroom and making it easier for teachers, particularly in primary school, “who are drowned, inundated, with a curriculum that can be very prescriptive, can be very top-heavy”. | Donnelly said he aimed to perform the review from the perspective of the classroom and making it easier for teachers, particularly in primary school, “who are drowned, inundated, with a curriculum that can be very prescriptive, can be very top-heavy”. |
| He said curricula in better performing countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong or Finland were often 15 to 20 pages whereas Australia’s curriculum documents were like a “telephone book”. | He said curricula in better performing countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong or Finland were often 15 to 20 pages whereas Australia’s curriculum documents were like a “telephone book”. |
| “At the end of the day I don’t think we’re going to overturn the national curriculum, write an ideological conservative one. What we will be doing is … trying to look at issues about standards, about rigour, about how better-performing countries teach the curriculum and what we can do to make it easier for teachers and hopefully raise standards for children.” | “At the end of the day I don’t think we’re going to overturn the national curriculum, write an ideological conservative one. What we will be doing is … trying to look at issues about standards, about rigour, about how better-performing countries teach the curriculum and what we can do to make it easier for teachers and hopefully raise standards for children.” |
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