ME VIS IS DOOD

#onderwijs #comic #cartoon #comicstrip #webcomic #spijbelen #school #excuus #huisdieren #vissen #humor

Excellent investigative reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald in its investigation of an exploitative fundamentalist private school.

And it raises very fundamental questions about how our education system operates:

"Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta promises parents a disciplined education. It shares the same leafy parklands as The King’s School and Tara School for Girls. Redeemer’s students boast high ATARs and win state science competitions. It has been praised in parliament and is visited by politicians and dignitaries.

"But behind the accolades lies an unorthodox – but perfectly legal – financial structure that has allowed the Redeemer organisation to amass its real estate empire.
...
"Its school operates without a single paid employee, records show. Instead, its teachers and support staff are classified as volunteers, made up entirely of members of Redeemer Baptist Church.
...
"Over the past 10 years, the school received income of about $106.7 million, comprising $52.7 million in government grants and $54 million in parent fees and other income. While this is standard for a private institution of its size, the outflows are unconventional. Its 2025 annual report shows half of its expenditure to be “non-salary expenses” and a further 16 per cent to be “services rendered and allowances”.
...
"Because none of Redeemer Baptist School’s teachers are classed as employees, standard rules – such as paying superannuation – do not apply. Redeemer did not specifically answer the Herald’s question about paying superannuation.

"Instead, staff are classified as members of the ministry order of the Redeemer Baptist Church, a religious order involved in the practice, study, teaching and propagation of the Christian faith. The stipend is paid at a discretionary amount whether members work or not; and, members regard their work as voluntary.

"Responding to a “calling”, they forgo wages in exchange for a modest church stipend, which sits below the threshold for welfare benefits. Some highly qualified, full-time educators also collect Centrelink benefits, many former church members said. These payments can include family tax benefits and Austudy.
...
"One former church elder explained that school funds are transferred to the church, which then pays stipends to people who are formally part of the church ministry. The stipends vary but generally sit at about $2000 a month. The minimum award wage for a teacher in NSW is $7515 a month.

"Because the church covers housing, electricity, gas and vehicles, members become reliant on the institution. “There’s no superannuation, there’s no personal investment for your future,” the former elder said. “You are held captive by their financial system and, the older you get, the worse it becomes. The members can’t survive without the church.
...
"When the school needs to construct a building, fix IT systems or sell uniforms, it doesn’t always hire independent businesses. It pays another arm of its own enterprise: Redeemer Baptist Services Limited and Redeemer Baptist Church Property Limited.

"Because these separate services and their property arm are registered as charities, they are exempt from income tax. The services charity runs 10 commercial businesses, including Redeemer Baptist Constructions, Redeemer Baptist Uniforms, and a bookstore. Money is shuttled from the school to these businesses without paying corporate taxes."
...
"On paper, each charity is a distinct entity. Yet, in reality, financial records show this entire network of school, charities and businesses is largely controlled by the same tight-knit circle of men, including Jonathan Cannon and Russell Bailey."

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/parents-pay-10-000-a-year-to-send-their-children-to-this-sydney-private-school-but-it-doesn-t-pay-its-teachers-wages-20260619-p608gi.html

#auspol #nswpol #australia #education #schools #school #religion

Full list of UK schools closing today ahead of extreme temperatures

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://metro.co.uk/2026/06/25/full-list-of-uk-schools-closing-today-ahead-of-extreme-temperatures-28916944/

A complete 10-step guide to track renovation — covering safety setup, utility checks, dust control, old surface removal, adhesive cleanup, debris management, foundation inspection, drainage repair, concrete and asphalt restoration, and final quality checks. A practical resource for anyone involved in running track renovation projects.
https://medium.com/@jracetrack/4-key-benefits-of-silicone-pu-courts-for-modern-sports-venues-4dc0b19b249c?sharedUserId=jracetrack
#sport #sports #jrace #basketball #school