Catholic school principals think for themselves

Follow-up to a previous post

Catholic principals are refusing to distribute a letter that warns parents against voting for the Greens in the upcoming federal election.

It came as the Greens hit back at the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, accusing it of ignoring the best interest of students and Catholic teachings.

The Commission wrote to tens of thousands of Victorian parents last week, claiming that the Greens' education policies would result in less funding for Catholic students and potentially higher school fees.

But in a fiery letter to the Commission's executive director Stephen Elder, Greens education spokesman Nick McKim said the party's backing of the Gonski school funding reforms and its pledge to invest $4.8 billion over four years to support students with a disability would benefit Catholic students.

Principals and school leaders have contacted the Greens, saying that they will not pass on Mr Elder's letter to students and parents.

"Perhaps that is because they understand that your letter is motivated far more by your close association with the Liberal Party than it is by a desire to act in the best interests of students at Catholic school and their parents," Senator McKim said.

One Catholic principal said he refused to circulate the letter because it was not the role of a school to tell parents how to vote.

I think those in the Catholic system need to ask this question: Is Elder acting in the best interests of catholic schools? ( especially small primaries and rural primaries) Or is he acting on behalf of his old mates in the Liberal Party? 

Simple question. 

Maybe they need to ask him?

 @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook