No place for racism in education debate

12/05/06
Education and Training Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich has expressed concern about racist, abusive and offensive comments appearing on the anti-outcomes education website PLATO.
Ms Ravlich said she was disgusted by some of the highly offensive comments made by members belonging to the group, People Lobbying Against Teaching Outcomes.
"Some of the comments are obscene and, quite frankly, I worry that these people might be teaching our children," she said.
"For example, the PLATO founders initiated a thread by attacking a person who wrote a pro-outcomes letter to the paper - the letter-writer was vilified by PLATO members and eventually compared with a NAZI."
The Minister said that a member who objected because her parents had suffered under the NAZI regime drew a vicious and personal attack from another PLATO member -

'You are obviously an opologetically (sic) sycophant for the criminals who are pushing the OBE barrel to line their own pockets. Really I think that the NAZIS had the right idea. It is a pity they didn't get to your parents before you were conceived..You really are a pathetic piece of trash that somehow escaped the final solution.'

Ms Ravlich said the NAZI reference was disgusting and unfortunately just one of many offensive postings on the website.
"The website is littered with insults, foul language and abusive and racist comments," she said.
"I understand PLATO has only about 60 members, so thankfully they are not representative of the thousands of dedicated and professional teachers in Western Australian schools who just want to get on with their jobs."
Minister's office: 9213 6800