We invite people to contribute their views, some of which may be controversial and at odds with other viewpoints, on values important to Australians and how they are taught in Australian schools. The columns are an attempt to show that tolerant communities can differ in their opinions but can do so in a civilized manner. This is what we attempt to teach young people as part of the values and citizenship programs.
The opinions which guest columnists present in these columns do not necessarily represent the current policy position of ACSSO.
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Equity in the Education Revolution: Julia Gillard, 3 April 2008
A Vision for 2020: Achieve Equity in Education: Save Our Schools, April 2008
Perspectives on relevance and the quest for rigorous student learning: Elliot Washor, 31 March 2008
The Power of Parent-Teacher Relations: Danielle M. Mbadu, 28 March 2008
Choice is all very well, but not at the expense of education: Iran Yusuf, 25 March 2008
Different identities: Liza Hopkins, 17 March 2008
Citizens' rights and the rule of law in a civil society: not just yet: Julian Burnside, 10 March 2008
The fight for English: Malcolm King, 7 March 2008
Playing catch-up with digital realities: teaching in the electronic age: Dale Spender, 27 February 2008
Defining disadvantage: need for a national rethink of school funding: Andrew Dowling, 27 February 2008
Effective teachers where they are needed most: Kirsten Storry, 25 February 2008
Sorry to the Stolen Generations: Hon Kevin Rudd MP, 13 February 2008
Clear Felling the Future: Rosslyn Beeby, 9 February 2008
Schools are Entrenching Inequality in Our Society: Trevor Cobbold, 6 February 2008
All Our Students Thinking: Nel Noddings, February 2008
Population Bombs: George Monbiot, 29 January 2008
Children's media: clean the slate and start again: Patricia Edgar and Barbara Biggins, 22 January 2008
Japanese Whaling a Bureaucratic Power Game: Aurelia George Mulgan, 24 December 2007
Watching as the World Withers: Nicholas Stuart, 18 December 2007
Climate Warnings Ignored: Andrew Mackintosh, 18 December 2007
Market Dogma Won't Save Education: Trevor Cobbold, 7 December 2007
Addressing Extreme Disadvantage through Commuity Development: Dr Ken Henry, 6 December 2007
Need for Global Action on Climate Change: Rt Hon Gordon Brown, 19 November 2007
No Settling for Second Best: A World Class Education for Every Child: Rt Hon Gordon Brown, 31 October 2007
Bring on the Recession - How Else Will the Destructive Effects of Growth be Stopped: George Monbiot, 9 October 2007
Stregthening Society's Values: Rupert Macgregor, 5 October 2007
Need for New Politics of Consultation, Concensus and Community Engagement: Rt Hon Gordon Brown, 3 September 2007
Family-school partnerships: from action research to sustainable good practice: Rupert Macgregor, 31 August 2007
The war for children's minds: Stephen Law, 21 August 2007
Australia the Stupid Country: Jane Caro, 1 August 2007
Federalism in the Land of Oz: Chester E. Finn Jr, 20 June 2007
Ignorance as a Second Language: Prof. Robin Jeffrey, 8 June 2007
Shaping a Sustainable Future: Prof Ian Lowe, 6 June 2007
Relaxed, Complacent and Risible: Tim Lindsey, 10 April 2007
Multicultural but Still Monolingual: Luke Slattery, 19 March 2007
Early Child Development: The building blocks for successful societies: Fraser Mustard, 17 March 2007
The Value of Our Imperilled Native Tongues: Noel Pearson, 11 March 2007
Punishment without Trial?: Michael Otterman, 5 March 2007
I Feel Therefore I Am: J.M. Coetzee, 27 February 2007
Justice Being Detained: Mike Steketee, 9 February 2007
Speaking in Tongues: Roly Sussex, 9 February 2007
What Are Australian Values, Really?: Martin Leet, 9 February 2007
Parenting by Proxy - To What Purpose? At what cost?: Bettina Arndt, 1 February 2007
Parenting Leave Opportunities: - It's an Education, Health and Family Values Thing: Rupert Macgregor, 31 January 2007
We Need to Reclaim Our Language of Inclusion: Reflections on Australia Day 2007: Michael Clyne, 30 January 2007
An Education Revolution for Australia's Economic Future: Kevin Rudd, 23 January 2007
The Sentience of Chimpanzees and Other Animals: Jane Goodall, 20 January 2007
The Importance of Learning the Mother Tongue in an Adopted Country: Shanti Senadeera, 10 December 2006
A Journey to Reconciliation: Trish Keller, 5 December 2006
The Liberal Frontier: Building a Civil Society: Julie Bishop, 24 November 2006
A Passion for Learning. It's a Values Thing.: Lindsay Tanner, 21 November 2006
Who Matters? How Many?: Malcolm Fraser, 31 October 2006
Obstinate Ignorance - the Glad Game and the Blame Game in Languages Education: Phillip Mahnken, 2 November 2006
Values Education and 'Doing Well' in School: Terry Lovat, 26 October 2006
Education, religion and values: Getting the mix right: Noel Preston, 5 October 2005
Faith in Politics: Kevin Rudd, October 2006
Who Values Australia's Language Potential?: Rupert Macgregor, 6 August 2006
The New Curriculum Micro-managers: Mercurious Goldstein , 23 June 2006
The Reverse of the Medal: Two Views of Tolerance: Sue Knight & Carol Collins and Christopher Pearson, 23 June 2006
Values and Australian Schools: Towards an Inclusive and Respectful Society: Alan Reid, 7 June 2006
Much-vaunted Values Should be Enshrined in a Bill of Rights: Greg Barns, 2 May 2006
Preschool Hope and Reality: Dr Alison Elliott, 26 March 2006
Sharing the true values of Sharia: Irfan Yusuf, 10 March 2006
Values Education Supporting the Well-being of Animals in a Caring and Compassionate Society: Carole de Fraga, 9 March 2006
Engaging global values: Noel Preston, 8 August 2005
Climate Change a Crisis of Collective Denial: George Monbiot, 4 May 2005