Sheed says politics hurting students

State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed has taken aim at state Liberal and National party members of Parliament for using the new Greater Shepparton Secondary College as a political football.

Ms Sheed said that while Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell constantly sought out negative elements of the school to raise in the Victorian Parliament, Nationals leader Peter Walsh also found ways to criticise the new school.

“As with all schools in Victoria, Australia, and across the world, you will find that there is bullying and other issues, and I know that complaints of bullying are being taken seriously at the new Greater Shepparton Secondary College,” Ms Sheed said.

“But to constantly seek out negative issues and ignore the successes of the school is not only misleading but is damaging to our students, who feel tremendous pride studying at a brand-new school.”

Ms Lovell has supported a campaign for greater choice for students, including a separate technical school, but Ms Sheed said the negativity had impacted students and staff.

Ms Lovell said her job was to stand up for the community and the students at the school.

“Suzanna Sheed will not even meet with parents to discuss the challenges at the school, so they come to me for representation,” she said.

Ms Sheed said the campaign against the school was affecting morale.

“Do they not think that our young people in Greater Shepparton Secondary College want to be proud of their school; want to value their school; want to be able to say; ‘I go to Greater Shepparton Secondary College’; want to grow up one day and say: ‘That’s the school I went to,’ and know that they have achieved something?” she said.

“I would have thought these politicians could leave their politicking aside and put the aspirations of young people first.”

Ms Sheed said the new college was one of the best in Victoria and was established to increase opportunities for students.

“Instead of four underfunded and underperforming schools, resources are now pooled together, and our deserving students can have the very best facilities, teachers and additional services they need,” she said.

“While Shepparton’s students continue to reach for the stars, they are dragged down by these politicians, who are just trying to get scores on the board against me ahead of the November election.”

Ms Sheed said she was proud to have convinced the Victorian Government to fund the school to the tune of $140 million.

“Taking political digs to criticise me is really only dispiriting our children, and it needs to stop,” she said.