Education is often a battleground in modern democratic nations. Recently during the 2019 UK election, the Labour party at its conference overwhelmingly voted for a policy of abolishing private education and taking the property of private schools into state ownership. And here in New Zealand, we have had our own battles over education. More recently it has been about charter schools. Our previous government, a National-led one, instituted Partnership Schools (Charter Schools), and the current Labour government has scrapped them, with these schools becoming State Integrated schools.
Why is education such a battleground? It’s quite likely that we all instinctively understand its power. In fact, Jeremy Corban’s Labour party is only mirroring Soviet Russia, where there were no private schools. Why? Because those who want to change society understand the malleability of children and the importance of having control of their education. He who controls the education of children controls the future of society.
Adolf Hitler is quoted as saying:
When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I say calmly, ‘Your child belongs to us already… What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing but this great new community.’
Speech November 6 1933 Quoted in The Rage Against God – Peter Hitchens
Not many of us like to find ourselves agreeing with Hitler, but he is right about the power of education. Given this truth, it’s important for us to ask the question, “Who should be responsible for a child’s education?”
The answer is emphatically parents. Why? Parents are closest to their children, and given this, are best positioned to understand their requirements. The principle of subsidiarity applies. In this principle, nothing should be done by larger or more complex organisations which could be achieved by a smaller decentralised one. This principle aims to protect individuals and small groups from a centralised bureaucratic Leviathan. In other words, protecting the rights of parents to educate their children is a step in protecting against tyranny.
Should there be private schools? A better question, perhaps, is “Should there be government schools?”