Today's media coverage, featuring misleading "League Tables'', has only confirmed people's worst fears about the misuse of the Federal Government's MySchool website, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Education, says it was clear that data from the website would be used in this way unless the Government stepped in to protect children.

"The Government has said it doesn't want to see league tables published from MySchool information, but it has done nothing to stop this happening,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.
"Now, within 24 hours of the launch, media organisations have used the data to create just these types of tables, yet the Government remains blasé about the damage caused by them.

"It is up to the Government to fix this damage, by providing more accurate, meaningful data about schools' performance than just one test taken on one day of the year, and also by stating on the site what is going to be done to help tackle disadvantage in our schools that need help.

"The Government has also talked about giving parents choice in finding the best school for their children. The truth is, however, that moving kids around the public system is very difficult, and most parents cannot afford to shift their children into private schools, leaving them no choice at all.''

The Greens are concerned about the operation of the new website, not just over the level of details provided, but the basic assumptions made in trying to compare schools.

"Even if the website did what it was set up to do, we believe the comparisons between schools would be unfair,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.

"But this is worse than that. Already we have reports of small rural and remote schools being compared in the same breath as well-resourced, urban, selective schools.

"This isn't fair, and can only result in damage to vulnerable school communities, the teachers who serve them, and the children trying to learn.''