The Australian Education Union is criticizing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for his proposal to shift the responsibility of funding public schools to the states.  The idea isn't going over very well before Friday's Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting, either.

"You cannot take billions and billions of dollars away and say 'It's your problem'," said NSW Premier Mike Baird, who insists that the government stick to the Gonski model of funding schools.  Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the PM's plan lacked detail.

Malcolm said that the Federal Government would continue to fund private and independent schools, regardless of what the states decide.  AEU deputy president Maurie Mulheron says that is a "betrayal" of parents and students in the state school system.

"The PM is abrogating that responsibility and rejecting a model that has already addressed those concerns," said Mr. Mulheron to the ABC.  "This is a return to the bad old days where the Commonwealth gave money to private schools and the states were left to try to find money for the state system," he added.

Labor is not going to support Malcolm's idea.

"Mr Turnbull has determined that the issue of fixing up our school system is too hard for him and now he's just dumping it in the lap of the states and he's abandoning the kids and the students," said opposition leader Bill Shorten.  And shadow treasurer Chris Bowen referred to the idea as an April's Fools joke by the prime minister.