STUDENT MISBEHAVIOUR IGNORED

Andrew Bolt argues that better teachers deserve better pay, with principals to determine the most deserving. This ignores that no amount of money spent on teachers can overcome the problem of disruptive students:

Education Minister Geoff Wilson has acknowledged bad student behaviour would have a direct impact on academic results, prompting more calls for the Government to change their funding formula according to need. It is now based on enrolments.

Queensland Teachers Union president Steve Ryan said schools with behavioural problems needed extra funds.

"If there is a need in the school, you need additional staff, whether that be teaching staff or support staff," Mr Ryan said.

"They need to be found and the school has to have the ability to do that."

It is simplistic to concentrate on teacher quality when bad behaviour is rife in schools.