LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Without writing an long rant, the department of education here in vic, aus, has absolutely no regard for homeschoolers. "Parents have accused the Victorian Education Department of "whitewashing" sexual abuse after it deleted crucial information from their submissions to proposed new rules." http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/education-department-accused-of-whitewashing-sexual-abuse-after-editing-parents-submissions-20170518-gw806d.html So people made written submissions about the proposed new regulations, the department stuffed up and published people's private contact information. The submissions were removed, the privacy issues fixed, submissions republished - with key parts conveniently deleted! Oh, and the department will not listen to anything the 550+ submissions said, they are going to table the regulations as is and we are supposed to trust that their intention isn't to be heavy handed... here's a report from the last meeting they had with homeschoolers https://home-ed.vic.edu.au/hen-det-meeting-12-may/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 This is extremely ans grossly a misuse of information! And also To protect their own system - this is so highly wrong!!!! Praying for you guys. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Praying for you all 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 So sorry! Saying a prayer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Ugh!!!! Dang that is so wrong!!!! :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 That's horrible! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 (edited) thank you. I slept on it and still woke up angry. We have a member of parliament moving a motion in our support on Wed 24th. There will be a bunch of homeschoolers in the public gallery. We most likely don't have the numbers to stop this. The home school community has been remarkably articulate and far too trusting in this whole process. We have numerous problems with the regulations, but the two biggest ones are - in a nutshell - not being allowed to immediately remove your child from school, first you have to submit a year long learning plan and wait 28 days for approval (or not). Secondly, the regulations around this learning plan are deliberately vague and give all power to the whim of an assessor in the department. No recourse to challenge a decision. To this concern, the department asks us to trust their intentions. here's a news story about the first privacy breach... "Inquiry ordered over Victorian privacy breach involving vulnerable students" http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-12/victorian-education-department-privacy-breach/8435754?pfmredir=sm Edited May 19, 2017 by LMD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 yep Sadie, exactly. The irony is that ex-teachers are over represented amongst homeschooling parents. The same old fear lines are being used, the all powerful and nebulous 'risk' covers a multitude of regulatory sins. The newly appointed chair of the department is fresh from the board of dcs (where she left under inquiry), so yeah, we're all potential-child abusers too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 you would think that actually obstructing the legal process of tabling regulations would cause them to pause. But no, just last week they reiterated that they will be tabling them as is and insinuated that we're all overreacting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 there is a change.org petition if anyone feels like signing it. I doubt that it will do anything but it feels good to give a big middle finger to the gov. I'm totally mature. https://www.change.org/p/petition-for-fair-and-consultative-regulations-on-home-education?recruiter=12216726&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 thank you Sadie! I totally agree with you. There were a lot of very surprised (and naive imo) greens-voting-homeschoolers. The greens have made it clear that they think we're all right wing fundamentalists. They don't seem to care about the left-wing, inner-city hippies they're alienating! There are a lot of corrupt, sticky fingers here and I have less than zero faith in government departments' 'intentions'. Censoring submissions is a step into crazy. Haven't they ever read 1984?! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 people here have been trying hard too, most couldn't even get a meeting with their greens rep. They all forget that they represent us, not rule over us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Job security for the teachers. Corrupts everything here, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Wow! I've been avoiding reading about what's going on over there because I don't need any more angst in my life but that's really bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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