Carlo’s Corner: We should all sue Geelong Grammar

Carlo Sands
May 18, 2012
Issue 
923
Analysis
Geelong Grammar's ability to ensure success for upper class twits was once so impressive, it helped make Alexander Downer a fore

The news that former Geelong Grammar School student Rose Ashton-Weir is suing the elite private school for failing to secure her a spot at Sydney University's law school has been the source of much mocking on the internet as a classic case of a spoilt brat's temper tantrum.

But it has to be said, 18-year-old Ashton-Weir has a point. This is, after all, what Geelong Grammar ― whose list of old boys includes Prince Charles, Rupert Murdoch, Kerry Packer, many high-ranking Liberal politicians and the king of Malaysia ― exists to do.

The fees are more than $30,000 a year ― the October 21 Herald Sun reported it cost $165 a day for tutelage on its senior campus. If that can't buy a spot in law at the nation's most prestigious university, there has quite clearly been a serious dereliction of duty.

What I want to know is who got Ashton-Weir's spot? Probably some fucking pleb from Sydney's western suburbs who went to some cheap-arse state school and used their brains to get in.

No wonder this country is going to the dogs. First, BHP chairperson Jac Nasser is forced to go public with concerns his workforce still have some rights. Now it seems the rich can't just buy whichever uni spot they feel like.

In fact, not only is Ashton-Weir right to sue. All taxpayers should join in a huge class action against a school whose ability to ensure success for upper class twits was once so impressive, it helped make Alexander Downer a foreign minister.

After all, it is not just fees higher than the annual income of a worker on the minimum wage that gave Geelong Grammar a 2010 profit of $10.7 million. The Save Our Schools website said the combined federal and Victorian government subsidies for the school this year top $6 million.

For Christ's sake ― this is a gross abuse of taxpayers' money! If the likes of Geelong Grammar can't guarantee any twit whose family can cough up 30 grand a year a spot in any damn school in any damn uni they damn well want, it is about time we spent the money on something more worthwhile.

After all, there are always more huge corporations willing to sack their workers at the first sign of a decline in profits who could always do with more millions in government handouts.

Read more Carlo's Corner columns. You can also watch Carlo's Corner at Green Left TV.



Education
Australia

Comments

Anonymous replied on

I was that 'fucking pleb from Sydney's western suburbs who went to some cheap-arse state school and used their brains to get in," and it's moments like this that makes me grateful for what I have and what I have done with it. Suck it up, Ashton-Weir, you just weren't the brilliant genius you thought you were, it takes hard work to get into Usyd law school. Money doesn't buy brains and it certainly won't get you into a degree that requires a 99.7 ATAR. Also, why hasn't Ashton-Weir considered other law schools? What, UNSW law school, with its 99.65 ATAR entry and its quality resources and teachers, not good enough for you? And is ANU in Canberra, the best law school in Australia with its 97 ATAR entry, not good enough for you either? No, it's got to be Usyd, because it's got to be the school with all the prestige and the highest ATAR entry out of all the law schools. Ridiculous!

Anonymous replied on

My Alma Mater, Geelong Grammar, has been dragged over hot coals for this unfortunate episode. Anyone in the APS wouldn't instantly be able to tell you that GGS is far from strong academically. In fact, it repeatedly features at the bottom of the APS league tables. However, the school stands by its slogan: Exceptional Education. It believes that education can't be measured by a four digit number, but rather it is the development of a person. I believe they achieve this lofty and noble goal more often than not, but there will always be exceptions. You may be quick to point out what GGS has taken from the taxpayer, but if you look through the old boy list, question how much THEY have given back to this still great country. P.S Anonymous, if ANU is Australia's best uni for law, why didn't you go there? Hypocrisy?

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