N U T Conference 2008: The Easter Miracle
I thoroughly enjoyed NUT conference. Bill Greenshields’ presidential address was inspiring with its emphasis on the class basis of British society and his more-or-less unflappable demeanour made for a well-organised conference. Sometimes his avuncular chairmanship put me in mind of an uncle from my youth, Joe I think his name was.
The way the conference worked, the Executive Priority motion meant most calls for action were ruled out of order. This gives the National Executive an enormous opportunity to display flexibility. With an apparent left numerical majority on the Exec (depending on how you calculate these things) they must prove to be our flexible friends and not the government’s.
On Sunday on the tram there was a lot of talk about the Jerry Glazier Easter Miracle where Jerry apparently saw the light on the road to Damascus and ended up agreeing with Martin Powell-Davies on the need to link action on class size, workload and pay together.
After the Classroom Teacher http://www.classroomteacher.org.uk discussion on Sunday I look forward to April 24th and recruiting new activists from the first-time strikers who will be involved. The classroom teacher flyer will be available for people to download and print out
The WSTA delegation had a gender balance of 7:2 which reflects the gender balance of the union. Other delegations can do likewise and perhaps the National Executive too.
We recorded our thoughts on the conference blog http://wsta1.org.uk from which you will see that two first-time delegates who are supply teachers were moved to see the consideration the union is giving to their plight.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Monday, 10 March 2008
The campaign against Academies
I was asked to write this for the London Progressive Journal. Here is a preview.
The campaign against Academies
The standard response of politicians of all stripes to criticism is to say the criticism is based on data is out of date and the issues referred to have been addressed. The Academies issue is no exception. Any politician these days will admit that the Academies program was a shambles and many of the sponsors were shysters but now the whole act has been cleaned up. In West Sussex, for example, instead of some second-hand car salesman they have the services of an educational body with a “proven track record” and the Local Authority is itself involved in the bid.
The reality is that the educational body in question is the Woodard Corporation which has a “proven track record” of running elitist religious schools. When a meeting of 150 parents and teachers was held to discuss the academy bid they contemptuously refused to send anybody to speak to them. They would sooner take advice from their servants than from parents or teachers.
The Local Authority may have a representative on the governing body but the unelected Woodard Corporation will have as many as it wants.
If you have concerns about your local school you can hold the local authority to account. The religious foundations are answerable only to the Almighty and the private companies are only answerable to their shareholders.
Far from being benevolent institutions aiming to help the community, the sponsors get the control of a 20 million pound school for 2 million pounds. They can (and do) then use this patronage to hire consultants of their choice at a fee of their choosing and to opt for educational suppliers of their choice – money no object.
Unusually all of the educational unions are united on this issue. There is an anti-academies alliance which you can contact. If an academy is proposed in your area (and it will be) give them a ring on 07528 201 697 or email office@antiacademies.org.uk
Their website is http://www.antiacademies.org.uk/index.php
Terry Teacher
The campaign against Academies
The standard response of politicians of all stripes to criticism is to say the criticism is based on data is out of date and the issues referred to have been addressed. The Academies issue is no exception. Any politician these days will admit that the Academies program was a shambles and many of the sponsors were shysters but now the whole act has been cleaned up. In West Sussex, for example, instead of some second-hand car salesman they have the services of an educational body with a “proven track record” and the Local Authority is itself involved in the bid.
The reality is that the educational body in question is the Woodard Corporation which has a “proven track record” of running elitist religious schools. When a meeting of 150 parents and teachers was held to discuss the academy bid they contemptuously refused to send anybody to speak to them. They would sooner take advice from their servants than from parents or teachers.
The Local Authority may have a representative on the governing body but the unelected Woodard Corporation will have as many as it wants.
If you have concerns about your local school you can hold the local authority to account. The religious foundations are answerable only to the Almighty and the private companies are only answerable to their shareholders.
Far from being benevolent institutions aiming to help the community, the sponsors get the control of a 20 million pound school for 2 million pounds. They can (and do) then use this patronage to hire consultants of their choice at a fee of their choosing and to opt for educational suppliers of their choice – money no object.
Unusually all of the educational unions are united on this issue. There is an anti-academies alliance which you can contact. If an academy is proposed in your area (and it will be) give them a ring on 07528 201 697 or email office@antiacademies.org.uk
Their website is http://www.antiacademies.org.uk/index.php
Terry Teacher
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Some people are gay, get over it.
These posters are appearing all over the place.
Download and print out your own.
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Can capitalism work? Discussion on TES website
From a discussion on the TES website.
Since the corporate fat cats and their ideologues proclaimed "the end of history" they have had virtually undisputed sway over the world. They can no longer blame "the dirty commies" for everything which goes wrong. With such extensive power they have built into their very foundations all the combustible material on the planet. As Trotsky predicted they would in fact.
We do not have a system of entrepreneurs taking risks and building up small businesses in a free environment. Massive corporations have budgets larger than many nation states and wield power over governments.
Do you trust these rich bastards to tackle climate change or the environmental consequences of their greed or would you agree with Jack London: "you cannot evade the charge that your class has mismanaged. You will talk about other things and things connected with other things but you will not answer that central charge."
To join in the discussion click here
Since the corporate fat cats and their ideologues proclaimed "the end of history" they have had virtually undisputed sway over the world. They can no longer blame "the dirty commies" for everything which goes wrong. With such extensive power they have built into their very foundations all the combustible material on the planet. As Trotsky predicted they would in fact.
We do not have a system of entrepreneurs taking risks and building up small businesses in a free environment. Massive corporations have budgets larger than many nation states and wield power over governments.
Do you trust these rich bastards to tackle climate change or the environmental consequences of their greed or would you agree with Jack London: "you cannot evade the charge that your class has mismanaged. You will talk about other things and things connected with other things but you will not answer that central charge."
To join in the discussion click here
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Hypocrisy over Cuba
From http://derekmcmillan1951.blogspot.com
The Americans want free elections in Cuba and they are sending over Jeb Bush and the Florida Republican Guard to supervise them.
(Two jokes for the price of one)
The Americans want free elections in Cuba and they are sending over Jeb Bush and the Florida Republican Guard to supervise them.
(Two jokes for the price of one)
Friday, 8 February 2008
Woodard Corporation ignores parents and teachers
150 to 200 parents and teachers crammed into Worthing Assembly Hall on Thursday to discuss the proposed academies at three schools - Boundstone, King's Manor and Littlehampton.
The Local Authority had the good manners to send a spokesman who was listened to in polite silence.
Woodard Corporation - the power behind the academy bid - contemptuously refused to send anybody to talk to parents and teachers. That exemplifies their high and mighty approach and is the reason parents and teachers are up in arms.
The Local Authority had the good manners to send a spokesman who was listened to in polite silence.
Woodard Corporation - the power behind the academy bid - contemptuously refused to send anybody to talk to parents and teachers. That exemplifies their high and mighty approach and is the reason parents and teachers are up in arms.
Friday, 1 February 2008
The good old days!
This is a first class post from the TES answering someone complaining that degrees are much easier than in the old days:
Yes. of course your degree was harder to get than anyones these days.
It's so much easier now. I heard of a kid who got a degree in David Cameron studies and all he had to do was text an essay in to radio 1 and he got a first. my mates BTEC in bricklaying now entitles him to a chair in classics at Cambridge university.
These days kids can take the internet in to their exams, and their parents probably. Not that they have to do exams anymore. Not like when i had to do ten fourteen hour exams in Latin Algebra and we weren't even allowed pens to write with. I had to do so much writing my arms literally fell off, literally. and everyone else's did too and if they didn't then you only got a third - but that's the equivalent of a phd today anyway.
You can do xbox studies these days - all you have to do is get to level four of crash bandicoot and they make you emeritus professor. they're giving degrees away in the streets now you just have to walk down the street and they'll give you a degree in Britney Spears studies.
I'm outraged, it's terrible any student getting a degree today should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves - they're all worthless and this is my favourite subject because it allows me to tell bull**** anecdotes about how someone I knew only turned up twice a year and still got his degree whereas I had twenty seven hours of lectures a day for nine days a week and i still only got a third because that was the highest classification they used to give out.
I particularly love telling young people that I worked harder than them and that their efforts are wasted.
I hate the idea that other people can be successful.
Yes. of course your degree was harder to get than anyones these days.
It's so much easier now. I heard of a kid who got a degree in David Cameron studies and all he had to do was text an essay in to radio 1 and he got a first. my mates BTEC in bricklaying now entitles him to a chair in classics at Cambridge university.
These days kids can take the internet in to their exams, and their parents probably. Not that they have to do exams anymore. Not like when i had to do ten fourteen hour exams in Latin Algebra and we weren't even allowed pens to write with. I had to do so much writing my arms literally fell off, literally. and everyone else's did too and if they didn't then you only got a third - but that's the equivalent of a phd today anyway.
You can do xbox studies these days - all you have to do is get to level four of crash bandicoot and they make you emeritus professor. they're giving degrees away in the streets now you just have to walk down the street and they'll give you a degree in Britney Spears studies.
I'm outraged, it's terrible any student getting a degree today should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves - they're all worthless and this is my favourite subject because it allows me to tell bull**** anecdotes about how someone I knew only turned up twice a year and still got his degree whereas I had twenty seven hours of lectures a day for nine days a week and i still only got a third because that was the highest classification they used to give out.
I particularly love telling young people that I worked harder than them and that their efforts are wasted.
I hate the idea that other people can be successful.
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