Chris Sarra

Chris Sarra an Aboriginal Australian educationalist, from Bundaberg, Queensland and the youngest of ten children.[1]

In the late 1990s, Sarra was the Principal of Cherbourg State School in south east Queensland.

From 2008 to 2013 he lead the Stronger Smarter Institute within QUT before his termination.[2] The Stronger Smarter Institute now runs independently of QUT.

In 2008, Sarra blamed poor outcomes for Aboriginal students on "white trash" school teachers.[3][4] He said:

If I'm an incompetent teacher filling the school day with photocopied worksheets, videos and Nintendo, it doesn't matter. Aborigines will get the blame.

In its crudest form, remote communities are the place to tuck our white trash away.[5]

His PhD thesis Strong and smart – towards a pedagogy for emancipation : education for first peoples was developed into a book and published in 2011.[6] His autobiography was published in 2012[7]

Cherbourg State School

While at Cherbourg Sarra applied his "Strong and Smart" philosophy of indigenous education aimed to lead to "improved school attendance and increased community involvement" Increased attendance at Cherbourg State School was achieved though the use of encouragements. Grace Sarra, his wife explained the encouragements: "at the end of the term, if they had missed five days or less they would go to McDonald's." [8] Later more expensive encouragements of trips to Melbourne were used.[9]

However there was no evidence of improvement in actual academic, employment or life outcomes for students. Sarra's own report into his time at Cherbourg showed no statistically significant improvement in literacy or numeracy; the only improvements found were in staff, student and community feelings of satisfaction with the school. [10] This lack of improved results was mirrored in his work at the Stronger Smarter Institute.[11]

In 2004 Education Queensland investigated several complaints against Sarra and upheld four complaints made by students where he was "found to have grabbed, held and shouted" at boys under his care.[8] Ken Smith of Education Queensland stated, "Chris has recognised that in those instances he may have overstepped the mark, and has given a commitment that he won't do that in future."[8][12]

In 2011 he was welcomed back to the school after an absence of seven years. Previous principals since he left had not wanted him to return to the school.[13]

Stronger Smarter Institute

From 2006 to 2013 Sarra led the Stronger Smarter Institute for indigenous education, from 2008 to 2013 as part of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) until his contract was terminated by QUT citing that Sarra had stated he was already planning to leave education.[2]

The approach to education of Indigenous Australian children developed by Sarra and implemented at Cherbourg Primary School is what the Stronger Smarter Institute seeks to promote, and it is being adopted across Australia.[14][15][16]

The Myer Foundation provided support of $400.000 in financial year 2006/07,[17] $460.000 in financial year 2007/08,[18] $400.000 in financial year 2008/09,[19]

In September 2009 then Education Minister Julia Gillard announced $16.4 million of government funding.[20]

In July 2010 the Telstra Foundation provided funding of $1.2 million, bringing the total to $2.4 million received from the Telstra Foundation.[21]

In September 2011 the Gillard Labor government provided a further commitment totalling $30 million through the Focus Schools Next Steps Initiative.[22]

The Myer Foundation provided additional support of $400.000 in financial year 2010/11.[23] No support was provided in financial year 2011/12.[24] Support of $50,000 was provided in financial year 2012/13.[25] No support was provided in financial year 2013/14.[26]

A major assessment of the program was led by Allan Luke and published in 2013.[11]

Regarding educational and attendance outcomes the report said:

The analysis of school level attendance from 2008–2011, school-level NAPLAN gain scores from 2008–2011, and cohort-level NAPLAN gain scores from 2009–2010 show no evidence of positive SSLC [Stronger Smarter Learning Communities Project] effects.

…

There is no statistically significant evidence of improved attendance or test score performance.[27]

In the article Chris Sarra stretches the gap on credibility Janet Albrechtsen of The Australian wrote regarding the report:

Sarra told The Weekend Australian he was "reasonably content with the tone and findings of the report". Not so content as to include them on the website. Sarra says the report covered only a short period of time for many schools. That is true. But it is no excuse for not making the report accessible to the public. Transparency surely demands it.

Interestingly, after this newspaper put questions to Sarra as to why there was no link to the report, a link was added with a summary of the findings.

…

It cannot be said enough: what matters is how Sarra's taxpayer-funded programs are lifting student performance so that the government can say they are spending their money wisely given the critical goal of closing the gap of Year 12 completion. [28]

The Stronger Smarter Institute now operates independently. Sarra assumed the role as chairman and appointed former Deloitte's Consulting Partner Lisa Siganto as Chief Executive in 2014.[29] Independent directors have been appointed to the board including Herb Elliott (Deputy chairman, Fortescue Metals Group), Paul Bridge (educator based in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia) and Gary Lennon (a senior executive at National Australia Bank).

By mid-2014 the Institute had supported over 1,700 graduates of its core leadership program. Those teachers and the Institute worked in over 450 schools and influenced the classrooms over 32,000 Indigenous students.

In July 2013 $497,000 was donated to the Stronger Smarter Institute by LNG company QGC.[30]

Tenure at the Australian Rugby League Commission

Sarra was appointed to the newly independent Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) in February 2012.[31][32]

In February 2013 Percy Knight, the Chairperson of the ARL Indigenous Council was sacked. Percy Knight had only become Chairperson of the ARL Indigenous Council in August 2012.[33] Chris Sarra was involved in events leading to the sacking. Percy Knight said of the sacking: "There is rampant racism within the NRL's administration and it is very toxic." [34] Mr Knight explained the reasons for tensions within the ARL Indigenous Council that lead to his dismissal: "There are no black fellas involved with One Community. We don't want to be grouped with Polynesians or Maoris. We are first Australians." One Community is the ARLC's community arm, distributing grants to grassroots football including indigenous Rugby grants.[35]

In a letter to Mr Sarra, Aboriginal Rugby great Larry Corowa stated: "Chris, how do you live with yourself in the knowledge that you played a prominent and key role in our demise from ARLIC [ARL Indigenous Council]?"[34]

Larry Corowa also addressed Sarra saying "Is this the Aboriginal way or the Coconut way?" (Coconut is a racial term suggesting he was black on the outside but white on the inside). Mr Corowa said of the ARL Indigenous Council: "The council is there to tick the boxes for white fellas, for the NRL and John Grant." When Larry Corowa was asked if Chris Sarra should resign, he said: "Yes, he should resign immediately. The community had a meeting two weeks ago in Sydney and people voted no confidence in him as a commissioner. They don't want him representing Aboriginal people in rugby league." [35]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Dr Chris Sarra: Changing the tide of low expectations in Indigenous Education
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "QUT terminates contract of executive director Chris Sarra". The Australian. 5 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Ferrari, Justine (15 November 2008). "'White trash' let Aborigines down". The Australian (Australia). Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ↑ Bolt, Andrew (15 November 2008). "Trashy argument". news.com.au.
  5. ↑ Gosford, Robert (19 November 2008). "White trash – and proud of it!t". news.com.au.
  6. ↑ Sarra, Chris; Sarra, Chris (2011), Strong and smart – towards a pedagogy for emancipation : education for first peoples, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-203-09319-1
  7. ↑ Sarra, Chris (2012), Good morning Mr Sarra : my life working for a stronger smarter future for our children, University of Queensland Press, ISBN 978-0-7022-3888-8
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Good Morning Mr Sarra on ABC TV Australian Story broadcast on 4 Oct 2004
  9. ↑ Tovey, Josephine (21 April 2013). "If the cash comes, we must spend it wisely". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. ↑ "Review of the Strong and Smart Vision at] Cherbourg State School" (PDF). Cherbourg State School. 12 August 2003.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Luke, A., Cazden, C., Coopes, R., et al (2013) A Summative Evaluation of the Stronger Smarter Learning Communities Project : Vol 1 and Vol 2. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane
  12. ↑ Allen, Elizabeth (17 July 2004). "Principal given a warning". Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia). p. 10. Queenslander of the Year Chris Sarra has been given a rap over the knuckles by Education Queensland, but no penalty has been imposed. Mr Sarra, the principal of Cherbourg State School in the Burnett, has been told to be careful in the way he disciplines students. An Education Queensland spokesman said yesterday an investigation into seven complaints against the Cherbourg State School's principal had been completed. Three of the allegations had been dismissed.
  13. ↑ Sarra returns to Aboriginal school with faith in learning intact, (21 May 2011), The Australian
  14. ↑ Ferrari, Justine (21 May 2011). "School as a sacred place". The Australian.
  15. ↑ Ferrari, Justine (6 February 2010). "Belief builds in Aboriginal schoolkids". The Australian.
  16. ↑ Sarra, Chris (14 May 2011), "Not the only way to teach Aboriginal youngsters", The Australian
  17. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2006–07
  18. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2007-08
  19. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2009-10
  20. ↑ "16 million to be invested into Indigenous education". National Indigenous Radio Service. 27 September 2009.
  21. ↑ Telstra Foundation supports Indigenous leadership programs, (July 2010), Indigenous Education Projects
  22. ↑ Director-General's weekly message for staff – 16 September 2011, (16 September 2011), Department of Education, Training and Employment
  23. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2010–11
  24. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2011-12
  25. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2012–13
  26. ↑ The Myer Foundation Annual Report 2013–14
  27. ↑ Luke, A., Cazden, C., Coopes, R. et al. "A Summative Evaluation of the Stronger Smarter Learning Communities Project Abridged Version p27" (PDF).
  28. ↑ Albrechtsen, Janet (23 June 2012). "Chris Sarra stretches the gap on credibility". The Australian.
  29. ↑ Stronger Smarter Institute, Media Release: Gearing up for Growth by Stronger Smarter on Nov 6, 2014 in News, Stronger Smarter News
  30. ↑ "QGC invests A$1 million in Indigenous education". www.qgc.com.au. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  31. ↑ NRL.com (10 February 2012). "ARL Commission officially formed". www.nrl.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  32. ↑ NRL commission to finally become reality after agreement reached
  33. ↑ NRL.com (16 August 2012). "ARLC announce new Indigenous Council". www.nrl.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Racism 'rampant' within NRL administration". Yahoo!7. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Webster, Andrew; Badel, Peter (6 February 2013). "Racism row threatens to mar NRL All Stars v Indigenous All Stars match". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  36. ↑ Indigenous educator Dr Chris Sarra honoured again, (19 Nov 2009), The Courier Mail, Brisbane
  37. ↑ 2004 QUT Chris Sarra: Chancellor's Outstanding Alumnus and Faculty of Education Award Winner

External links