Educating Jean

The Jean of the title is Jean Walker from the Tasmanian Education Union who is rather indignant at suggestions that Australia's education curriculum has been dumbed down by social engineering, elitist, misanthropic academics who enjoy experimenting on Australia's youth.

Ms Walker says both men are sadly out of touch, living in a 1950s time warp and simply "teacher bashing again".

The two men Ms Walker refers to are Federal Education Minister Dr Brendan Nelson and Catholic archbishop George Pell.

It seems it is Ms Walker who is sadly out of touch herself with news of an international study which suggests Australian students are falling behind their international counterparts.

The ABC is scant on the details but does have this quote:

Dr Nelson says Tasmanian students in particular are struggling in mathematics...

And that's a surprise since two heads are better than one.

-- Nora