Principals tell of school values

Principals on the Peninsula have reacted strongly to Prime Minister John Howard's comments that public schools lacked values.

Mr Howard had accused public schools of being "value neutral" and "too politically correct."

Two principals wrote of their school's values in their school's newsletter, while others have confirmed the existence of statements of school values.

Brisbane Water Secondary College (BWSC) Woy Woy campus principal Mr David Beattie said in a recent newsletter that he had used the school's first formal assembly of the year to talk about the school's values.

He said that they were an "integral component of learning at the Senior Campus and indeed at all public schools".

"Our values are an essential part of who we are, what and how we learn and teach, our rules and procedures, how we behave as student and teachers, our many programs, policies and special occasions," Mr Beattie said.

Mr Beattie said that the school's values included "respect for others, high standards - performing one's best, tolerance and understanding, social justice, self-discipline and understanding, care and respect, courtesy and honesty".

Mr Beattie invited Prime Minister Howard to "observe and discuss the values we hold at BWSC" and also issued an invitation to "parents and the community" who "are also welcome to find out more about the values we teach".

Those who were interested in doing so could "visit or call for more information".

Pretty Beach Public School principal Ms Jill Godwin said that school values played an essential role in shaping public school education and committed her school to promoting a charter of values and beliefs that teachers and students had drafted in 1999 and revised in 2002.

"We deliberately teach the values specified in this statement as part of our PD/H/PE program, by focusing one set of values each month," she said.

Ms Godwin said that the school values that were emphasised during the PD/H/PE lessons included quality workmanship, honesty and truthfulness, generosity, kindness and helpfulness, justice and respect, the right to be an individual, and freedom of speech and citizenship".

Woy Woy South Public School pincipal Mr Mick Tattam said that the teaching of values was a fundamental aspect of public school education.

Mr Tattam said that public schools instilled in students "the values of tolerance, honesty, fair play and sportmanship work ethics and courtesy".

"As far as we are concerned, those are values taught in our schools every day."

Umina Public School principal Mr John Blair said that public schools in NSW upheld the values of society and maintained that the Prime Minister had "overlooked the priorities that public schools place on values such as tolerance, inclusion and the interdependence of everyone in society".

Brisbane Water Secondary College principal Mr Pat Lewis said that the Prime Minister had failed to provide an adequate definition of the terms "value-neutral" and "too politically correct".

Mr Lewis said that the school had a firmly-established Charter of Values that was available on the internet and also by contacting the school.

He said it was strongly instilled in BSWC's students.

These values included "tolerance, inclusiveness, equity, a sense of school community and a commitment to public community participation, a strong appreciation of heritage and national identity, a fair go for all and very high expectations of its students".

Owen, February 18