Good to see teachers' union, the NUT, balloting for strike action over pay (BBC News: Teachers to ballot on pay strikes).
The government's assertation, that the teachers' 2.45% pay offer is above the rate of inflation, beggars belief - especially when you consider the recent hyper-inflation in energy and fuel prices (electricity and gas up by about 15%, petrol and diesel up by well over 20% in the last year). Indeed, very recently, the criteria for measuring inflation were changed (BBC News: Muffins enter typical UK 'basket') - I wonder why ?!?
At the same time, teachers have seen increasing workloads as the government impose changes to the curriculum, adding to the existing high workloads (on both teachers and kids!) caused by SAT tests and the pressures of league tables. The raising of the school leaving age to 18 will not help matters, either!
At the same time, I don't agree with all the NUT have said recently. Their blaming of children and their parents for problems in the classroom (BBC News: Spoilt children 'disrupt schools') has reactionary overtones in two ways. Firstly, it ignores the real reasons kids are increasingly demoralised, due to increased workload (we're back to the SAT's), fewer facilities for kids both in and out of schools, parents stressed out due to increased workload and declining living standards, and lack of a real future. Secondly, it gives the 'green light' for the government to further attack the benefits and living standards of families, single parents etc, saying the kids are over-indulged.
The planned teachers' strikes are very welcome, but their best hope of victory will be if they make links with, and support the struggles of, other workers - namely the parents of the kids in their classrooms.
Showing posts with label schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label schools. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 March 2008
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Colourful Balls-up and the bad dream academy
So the Schools secretary, Ed Balls, doesn't know the correct order of the colours in a rainbow (BBC News: Rainbow error makes Balls blush)
I guess that's hardly surprising, when you consider how hard it is to distinguish New Labour red from Tory true blue :-P
Sadly, this is not the only mistake the government have made over education. In many areas, including the north Derbyshire town of Shirebrook, the private sector is being introduced into schools in a big way. Rather than old, dilapidated school buildings being replaced using public funds, the existing schools are being replaced by private "academies". (For more details, check out the Anti-Academies Alliance)
When a school becomes an Academy, the private "sponsor" not only owns the school buildings and even the land, they also dictate the school curriculum and admissions policy. Sponsors of academies include Carphone Warehouse and the used car dealer Vardy, what do they know about running schools ?!? Another Academy is sponsored by an evangelistic Christian fundamentalist. And can we be sure that, in the not too distant future, Academies won't be run by horribly right-wing companies which discriminate against minority groups? I myself have in the past experiencd disability discrimination from a computer training company - heaven forbid they may end up running an Academy :-(
What we need are schools run by the community, by the teachers, parents and, last but not least, the students themselves. Paid for by taxing the rich - not inviting them to re-create the schools, as "educational production-lines" creating future workers for their own companies.
I guess that's hardly surprising, when you consider how hard it is to distinguish New Labour red from Tory true blue :-P
Sadly, this is not the only mistake the government have made over education. In many areas, including the north Derbyshire town of Shirebrook, the private sector is being introduced into schools in a big way. Rather than old, dilapidated school buildings being replaced using public funds, the existing schools are being replaced by private "academies". (For more details, check out the Anti-Academies Alliance)
When a school becomes an Academy, the private "sponsor" not only owns the school buildings and even the land, they also dictate the school curriculum and admissions policy. Sponsors of academies include Carphone Warehouse and the used car dealer Vardy, what do they know about running schools ?!? Another Academy is sponsored by an evangelistic Christian fundamentalist. And can we be sure that, in the not too distant future, Academies won't be run by horribly right-wing companies which discriminate against minority groups? I myself have in the past experiencd disability discrimination from a computer training company - heaven forbid they may end up running an Academy :-(
What we need are schools run by the community, by the teachers, parents and, last but not least, the students themselves. Paid for by taxing the rich - not inviting them to re-create the schools, as "educational production-lines" creating future workers for their own companies.
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