Jane Caro: A Voice for Public Education and Social Justice
Australian writer and social commentator Jane Caro, strolling through Sydney's leafy north shore, openly embraces her privileged position while fiercely advocating for those without it. In her federation home with heritage windows and a lush garden, Caro immediately acknowledges her fortunate life, noting it grants her safety to speak out on critical issues.
From Advertising to Advocacy: A Diverse Career
Caro's professional path spans decades in marketing and advertising before pivoting to social commentary, broadcasting, writing, and even a brief political stint. In her 60s, she launched a new chapter as an author with her first adult novel, The Mother, a domestic thriller that tackled gender-based violence and climate change. Her second crime novel, Lyrebird, followed last year, with a third in the works focused on social justice themes.
Despite her literary success, Caro remains an outspoken feminist, atheist, and champion of public education. Her latest publication, Rich Kid Poor Kid, set for release next month, delivers a scathing critique of Australia's longstanding support for private education at the expense of public schools, where enrollments have hit record lows.
The Crisis in Public Education
"I think it's appalling that you can't just go to your local public school now and feel sure that you'll get an excellent education," Caro asserts. She highlights dire situations where schools lack funds for basic cleaning supplies, forcing teachers to dip into their own pockets. "This is outrageous on every level. It cannot be justified."
Caro's passion for public education stems from her mother's belief that schools serve as a "litmus test" for societal values. Educated entirely in public schools after moving from the UK at age five, Caro credits her free university education for her success. "I feel like I owe [back] for the education that I was lucky enough to get," she says, adding humorously that "Ps get degrees and fun is a valid part of life."
Navigating Parental Anxiety and Choice
Both of Caro's daughters attended public schools in affluent Mosman, and she expects her grandchildren to follow suit. When asked if choosing public high school was difficult, she replies briskly, describing the "usual abuse" from peers who warned of drug addiction and prostitution. "If you've paid 5, 10, ... 45, $50,000 plus for something you can get for next to nothing down the road, you have to say what's down the road is absolute shit," she explains. "Public schools haven't failed. We, the public, have failed public schools."
Political Failures and Funding Inequities
Caro criticizes the current Labor government's deal to fully fund public schools by 2034, leaving a generation underfunded, while private schools continue to receive government support regardless of fees. She accuses Labor of drinking "the neoliberal Kool-Aid almost as enthusiastically as the Liberals," embracing free-market ideologies that harm public education. "The problem for the Australian public school system is it has no champion in parliament apart from the Greens," she notes.
Overcoming Anxiety and Embracing Life
During her walk, Caro tackles Sydney's hills with the stamina of a 25-year-old, reflecting on her career's lack of a formal plan. "I just say yes to interesting offers and keep going," she says. In advertising, she faced constant teasing from men, but now brushes off online abuse by noting, "I've been bullied by the wittiest men in Australia."
Caro also shares her battle with crippling anxiety from age 21, which she overcame through therapy and a traumatic experience when her premature daughter nearly died from a severe infection. "Safety is an illusion. Danger is reality," she learned, and now jokes about overcorrecting to a state of calm.
A Call for Equality
Passing the lavish grounds of Shore, an Anglican boys' school costing over $45,000 annually, Caro mutters, "Absolute temple of privilege." She concludes that merit and excellence are meaningless when the playing field is rigged. "You can't talk about any of those things if the playing field is rigged. And it's rigged."
Rich Kid Poor Kid by Jane Caro will be released on 5 May through Australia Institute Press, continuing her advocacy for a fairer education system.
