Thread by @AmyThunig

Yes, hello, my name is Amy & I am a proud Aboriginal academic & my focus area is education. I am disgusted by the appointment of Abbott as ‘envoy’ to my people, but even more so by the use of ‘education’ as the justification given by the PM
A thread...
#auspol #IndigenousX

‘Education’ has a legacy of being the political football kicked around & used to justify white policies destroying black lives. See #BringingThemHomeReport & the original Policies used to roll out the start of the #StolenGenerations - each truly about control, not education

We must note that 'Education' is a broad term, with many definitions, values, & applications, most of which have cultural foundations. In the context by the PM it is clear he only means the ‘formal’ settler, Eurocentric education, which we know is presently problematic for many,

This is approach is some fifty years out of date for Australian politics, indicating either a lack of knowledge on the behalf of the current PM, or a desire to enforce a renewed deficit mindset of black kids, or both. Either way, this is dangerous politics & bad news for our mob.

Within Australia we have many incredible Indigenous advisory bodies, who work with all forms of education, to support students, staff & community. E.g in NSW we have the #AECG of which I am a proud member. This is a VOLUNTARY body, because we CARE about education.

While we were excluded from schools formally as late as the 1980s with policies such as ‘Exclusion on Demand’, Indigenous people are resilient, intelligent, & amazing and we have had University graduates since 1959 – predating the referendum. (Margaret Williams-Weir).

Yes, education for ALL children is of value, HOWEVER, there are decades of research which need to be considered before you send in an unqualified, unrespected, rejected envoy – who has a history of showing outright contempt & paternalism to our people, culture & history

The imagery continually being used by Morrison & Abbott to position mob as living only in the outback, is a crock. The MAJORITY of Indigenous people live in urban & city environments. This is information available via the ABS. They know this.

When Morrison stated: 'he had been to Indigenous communities with Mr Abbott where his commitment to the cause was evident through his actions' he neglects that Indigenous communities are in cities, universities etc. & Abbott GUTTED our resources when he last had power to do so.

Abbott is already using language, and referring to theories, which are outdated, significantly problematic, and have no grounding in evidence. If you want to insist on a Western/Eurocentric approach to managing this country, then why aren’t you looking to the academic evidence?

So lets look at some of the information which should be informing approaches to education for Indigenous people...
- There are over 400 full-time Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academics currently employed in Australian Higher Ed.
- Even more if we look at casuals

Theres a significant body of academic literature which establishes:
- Statistical data is political (attendance data for example)
- Student engagement is strongly linked to the environment of the school & rship with teacher
- Appropriate cultural context & inclusion is paramount

AwardWinning thesis by Prof John Lester established that Aboriginal kids are not 'switching off' schools themselves, but are BEING switched off by the school. The deficit is within the structure & approaches of school environment. Which is why bodies like the AECG are critical.

A study of over 12,000 students in NSW found that Aboriginal students do NOT have lower aspirations than their non-indigenous peers.
Within NSW schools, Indigenous kids make up over 5% of the student population. If you look only at public schools, that number rises to over 7%

Sure, attaining a university education does close the salary gap - but an Indigenous male aged 18 is more likely (statistically) to be incarcerated than to enter university.
You need to address the over policing & over incarceration of Indigenous kids to improve HE attendance.

and JUST TO BE CLEAR - that does not mean 'cracking down' on Indigenous youth. Have a quick gander at these stats, note how more likely Indigenous folk are to be JAILED over drug possession etc. This stuff is political, & reflects systemic racism not a criminal race.

The government were presented with the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017, and we have asked for a voice, our own voice. Instead we have been given an 'envoy' who is under qualified, ill equipped, has a history of asserting the terra nulls lie, & gutting Indigenous services.

Indigenous people are lawyers, Drs, academics, CEO's, leaders, Elders, cultural knowledge holders, teachers, nurses, midwives, politicians, accountants, parents, & SO MUCH MORE. Appointing Abbott sends the message that no matter how qualified we are, a white man is 'better'.

It sends the message to the Australian people that Abbott, who is pretty well reviled & loathed even within his own party, is superior to even, for example, an Esteemed Professor who is Indigenous. This is how the right play at culture wars & identity politics.

They will be relying on the media to further perpetuate this message by carefully chosen imagery, voices, & the application of a deficit branding - as we saw in the #Sunlies segment earlier this year.

If you are within the media, I urge you to speak to, and refer to the work of Indigenous educators, Indigenous academics, and Indigenous researchers when you cover any story around Abbott, or #IndigenousEducation
Don't perpetuate the deficit lie, be bold, be unbiased! #auspol

e.g. Dr John Lester, Dr Michael Donovan, Dr Susan Page, Dr Bronwyn Carlson, Dr Bronwyn Fredericks, Dr Maggie Walter, Dr Nikki Moodie, Dr Chris Matthews, Dr Michelle Trudgett, Dr Lester Rigney, (there are SO MANY) look to the Indigenous units within various Australian Universities

I have to actually go get ready for work now, but if you take one thing from this please let it be that I could never in one day list all of the incredible, relevant, recent Indigenous academic research & researchers which look at real ways to improve educational outcomes.

Coz there are SO MANY. This is not an area of deficit, confusion, or despair. Education and the area of Aboriginal education is actually on fire at the moment, Departments, key leaders, schools, communities, we are working together& great progress has been visible for some time

Which leads me to conclude that the deficit which the Australian public need to be aware of, is within the politicians, including PM Morrison. Appointing Abbott has nothing to do with the current position or education of Indigenous people & everything to do with bad politics.
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