Fed: Aboriginal academic describes fees as "protecion money"

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2001
Fed: Aboriginal academic describes fees as "protecion money"

A leading Aboriginal academic has reportedly described as protection money the substantial
fees she pays to send her daughter to an upmarket Melbourne private school.

MARCIA LANGTON, chair of indigenous studies at Melbourne University, was scathing about
the state school system, in which she says racism is rampant.

Professor LANGTON has told the Australian newspaper that despite advances in Aboriginal
education, there remains the problem of inequity in Australian schools.

She says she supports the public school system and that Australia needs a strong and
equitable public school system, but the problem was it doesn't have one.

Prof LANGTON spoke yesterday at the Australian Education Assembly in Melbourne, and
did not want the name of her daughter's school published.

She says her daughter's school is a private-sector institution and she is paying for
a standard of education equal to other Australians and one where her daughter is protected
from racism.

She says in a sense she is paying protection money even though she is not a rich person,
and there are many other parents in her situation.

AAP RTV as/psm/

KEYWORD: FEES (SYDNEY)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.