A school in Brisbane has been criticized for its teaching techniques, after using horse racing as a way to teach basic math skills.
Girls from Ashgrove's Mount St Michael's College were taken to Doomben Racecourse for half a day, and given fake money with which to bet.
Alison Terry, the school's principal, said that the trip taught students about probability, and risk and return, in a real life setting. “Our students are left in no doubt, prior to the excursion, on the day itself and the debriefing following, of the potentially negative impact of gambling and the devastating effect this can have on individuals and families.”
Michael Ord, the Australian Family Association State Secretary, said “Obviously, there are different options and different ways of doing a maths lesson and one may question why you would need to go to a race track and involve gambling to teach maths. Is this the most useful and beneficial way, and what are the alternatives?”
The debate has attracted attention from other Australian schools, as well as campaigners both for and against gambling.
Queensland Premiuer Anna Bligh said that she believed that the school had acted responsibly. She supported state schools adapting the format of the lesson for their own classes.
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