Gordon Brown has said he is "disappointed" that teachers are going on strike. This week the government has cut corporation tax from 30 to 28 percent thus handing over billions to the fat cats. 50 billion has also been handed over to the bankers. Then they pretend they haven't got the money to pay the teachers.
Teachers are beyond "disappointed." Some are getting angry and as Steve Sinnott put it, "Gordon, you wouldn't like us when we're angry!"
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Verifiabilitiyify your nucular program
I caught CNN when they televised at length Brown looking embarrassed and Bush ranting that Iran cannot be trusted and demanding of Aminadinajad - "Verifiabilitiyify your nucular program"
Another country he can't trust apparently is Al Qaeda although he did look a bit confused at that point and then conceded they were a bunch of people rather than a country. Though the guardian of the free world still looked unsure.
And now here is something quite long about Obama - but quite good which is my reason for forwarding it.
Democrats Raise Hope for Change — Populist Rhetoric Conceals Pro-Corporate Policies
By Alan Jones
The race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination remains unresolved, with just a few primaries left. Obama appears to have an insurmountable margin. However, neither candidate is likely to gain the 2,025 delegates required to secure the nomination. This sets the stage for an all-out fight at the August convention, as unelected “super-delegates” will probably decide the outcome.
Hillary Clinton, trailing in delegates, can only win the nomination by trying to fatally injure Obama's campaign to convince the super-delegates he cannot win against John McCain. Her campaign has used thinly-veiled racism to attack Obama. Furthermore, she made the astounding claim that only she and… John McCain are "qualified" to act on national security, not Barack Obama.
Incredibly, the Obama campaign found itself on the defensive on issues such as NAFTA in a state like Ohio, which has been devastated by job losses because of the "free trade agreements" signed by Bill Clinton's White House.
The Clintons have a huge rap sheet of attacks against working people, from welfare rights to democratic rights, NAFTA, selling out on healthcare reform, and supporting Bush's war. Yet, Obama's camp showed its timidity toward the establishment by refusing to go on the attack against the Clintons' record, largely because they don’t disagree with these policies.
Obama's Politics
Obama’s spectacular primary victories were a reflection of the increasing rejection of the Republicans’ policies over the past seven years among large sections of the population. Obama has electrified youth and African-Americans, and is organizing rallies of tens of thousands with his message of "change" and "hope."
There is a sense of history being made and of another barrier being demolished, with an African-American so close to winning the Democratic Party’s nomination.
Obama, much more than Clinton, is able to appear as a Washington outsider who represents real change, as well as appearing to be "antiwar" because he expressed opposition to the war while Clinton was supporting Bush's war drive.
Aside from the hopes for a better future projected onto his candidacy by millions of Americans, Obama is very vague when it comes to putting forward specific social reforms or actual changes. In reality, Obama is a thoroughly big business candidate, having been vetted by the corporate elite that control U.S. politics. If elected, he will bitterly disappoint his supporters by carrying out pro-rich, anti-worker policies.
Obama is not the product of the civil rights struggles or any real political movement. In many ways, his political origins have more in common with Colin Powell, Bush's former Secretary of State, and a whole new generation of black leaders who have been loyal servants of the establishment.
This alone, however, does not explain the sudden shift of a large section of the political establishment behind a man who, four years ago, was in the Illinois state senate. Obama's political backers include Senator Ted Kennedy and such pillars of the establishment as former National Security Advisor and Cold War hawk Zbigniew Brzezinski, Rupert Murdoch's New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, and Warren Buffet, the second richest man in the U.S.
In the aftermath of U.S. imperialism’s debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan, a growing section of the U.S. ruling class is looking at Obama as the multicultural face that can signal to the world a shift from the policies of Bush’s unilateralism into those that would combine selective military force (in the name of a "war on terrorism" against "rogue regimes", etc.) with more diplomacy and the use of alliances.
In an editorial endorsing Obama, the Los Angeles Times commented: "An Obama presidency would present as a distinctly American face a man of African descent…No public campaign could do more than Obama's mere presence in the White House to defuse anti-American passion around the world" (2/3/08).
Contradictory Features
There are contradictory features reflected in the Obama phenomenon. On the one side is the genuine hope for change felt by millions of working people, while on the other side there is the desire of sections of the establishment to use Obama to create a more “acceptable face” to promote U.S. imperialism’s policies internationally.
Underlying the present political developments is a sharpening class polarization in U.S. society, which is compounded by a deepening economic crisis. This is fueling illusions that the Democratic Party and Obama represent some kind of "change." This reflects a shift of consciousness to the left and is an anticipation of an increase in social struggles in the coming turbulent period of American politics.
In the absence of a real political alternative from the labor or antiwar movements, the mass of workers and youth will need to go through the experience of a Democratic presidency to dispel their illusion that the Democratic Party - a party owned lock, stock, and barrel by the corporate establishment - will affect changes to benefit working people and bring an end to the squandering of untold trillions in Iraq and other wars.
When these illusions are shattered, many more will begin to understand the necessity of building a serious movement of working people in the streets, as well as the need to break from the two parties of capitalism and build our own political party.
Growing Populism
As the primary fight heated up, both Clinton and Obama were forced to try to tap into the broad anti-corporate anger that exists among large sections of the working class and even the middle class.
In speeches in economically hard-hit states, like Wisconsin and Ohio where there have been massive job losses, Obama spoke about the enormous inequality that exists in the U.S. and the fact that the rich are getting richer while everyone else is struggling to get by. Obama called for "shared sacrifice and shared prosperity."
His populist rhetoric provoked a reaction from the big business media, who warned Obama against stirring up "class warfare." Clearly, the establishment press realizes there is a danger of the Obama campaign igniting the deep reservoir of social discontent.
The Democrats seem poised to make gains against the Republicans in Congress in 2008. Whoever gets elected president in 2008 will be faced with colossal crises, both at home and abroad. The Obama campaign, while fostering illusions of change and hope, is not the vehicle of social change that the liberals imagine, but signals the opening of a new period of political and social instability.
Another country he can't trust apparently is Al Qaeda although he did look a bit confused at that point and then conceded they were a bunch of people rather than a country. Though the guardian of the free world still looked unsure.
And now here is something quite long about Obama - but quite good which is my reason for forwarding it.
Democrats Raise Hope for Change — Populist Rhetoric Conceals Pro-Corporate Policies
By Alan Jones
The race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination remains unresolved, with just a few primaries left. Obama appears to have an insurmountable margin. However, neither candidate is likely to gain the 2,025 delegates required to secure the nomination. This sets the stage for an all-out fight at the August convention, as unelected “super-delegates” will probably decide the outcome.
Hillary Clinton, trailing in delegates, can only win the nomination by trying to fatally injure Obama's campaign to convince the super-delegates he cannot win against John McCain. Her campaign has used thinly-veiled racism to attack Obama. Furthermore, she made the astounding claim that only she and… John McCain are "qualified" to act on national security, not Barack Obama.
Incredibly, the Obama campaign found itself on the defensive on issues such as NAFTA in a state like Ohio, which has been devastated by job losses because of the "free trade agreements" signed by Bill Clinton's White House.
The Clintons have a huge rap sheet of attacks against working people, from welfare rights to democratic rights, NAFTA, selling out on healthcare reform, and supporting Bush's war. Yet, Obama's camp showed its timidity toward the establishment by refusing to go on the attack against the Clintons' record, largely because they don’t disagree with these policies.
Obama's Politics
Obama’s spectacular primary victories were a reflection of the increasing rejection of the Republicans’ policies over the past seven years among large sections of the population. Obama has electrified youth and African-Americans, and is organizing rallies of tens of thousands with his message of "change" and "hope."
There is a sense of history being made and of another barrier being demolished, with an African-American so close to winning the Democratic Party’s nomination.
Obama, much more than Clinton, is able to appear as a Washington outsider who represents real change, as well as appearing to be "antiwar" because he expressed opposition to the war while Clinton was supporting Bush's war drive.
Aside from the hopes for a better future projected onto his candidacy by millions of Americans, Obama is very vague when it comes to putting forward specific social reforms or actual changes. In reality, Obama is a thoroughly big business candidate, having been vetted by the corporate elite that control U.S. politics. If elected, he will bitterly disappoint his supporters by carrying out pro-rich, anti-worker policies.
Obama is not the product of the civil rights struggles or any real political movement. In many ways, his political origins have more in common with Colin Powell, Bush's former Secretary of State, and a whole new generation of black leaders who have been loyal servants of the establishment.
This alone, however, does not explain the sudden shift of a large section of the political establishment behind a man who, four years ago, was in the Illinois state senate. Obama's political backers include Senator Ted Kennedy and such pillars of the establishment as former National Security Advisor and Cold War hawk Zbigniew Brzezinski, Rupert Murdoch's New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, and Warren Buffet, the second richest man in the U.S.
In the aftermath of U.S. imperialism’s debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan, a growing section of the U.S. ruling class is looking at Obama as the multicultural face that can signal to the world a shift from the policies of Bush’s unilateralism into those that would combine selective military force (in the name of a "war on terrorism" against "rogue regimes", etc.) with more diplomacy and the use of alliances.
In an editorial endorsing Obama, the Los Angeles Times commented: "An Obama presidency would present as a distinctly American face a man of African descent…No public campaign could do more than Obama's mere presence in the White House to defuse anti-American passion around the world" (2/3/08).
Contradictory Features
There are contradictory features reflected in the Obama phenomenon. On the one side is the genuine hope for change felt by millions of working people, while on the other side there is the desire of sections of the establishment to use Obama to create a more “acceptable face” to promote U.S. imperialism’s policies internationally.
Underlying the present political developments is a sharpening class polarization in U.S. society, which is compounded by a deepening economic crisis. This is fueling illusions that the Democratic Party and Obama represent some kind of "change." This reflects a shift of consciousness to the left and is an anticipation of an increase in social struggles in the coming turbulent period of American politics.
In the absence of a real political alternative from the labor or antiwar movements, the mass of workers and youth will need to go through the experience of a Democratic presidency to dispel their illusion that the Democratic Party - a party owned lock, stock, and barrel by the corporate establishment - will affect changes to benefit working people and bring an end to the squandering of untold trillions in Iraq and other wars.
When these illusions are shattered, many more will begin to understand the necessity of building a serious movement of working people in the streets, as well as the need to break from the two parties of capitalism and build our own political party.
Growing Populism
As the primary fight heated up, both Clinton and Obama were forced to try to tap into the broad anti-corporate anger that exists among large sections of the working class and even the middle class.
In speeches in economically hard-hit states, like Wisconsin and Ohio where there have been massive job losses, Obama spoke about the enormous inequality that exists in the U.S. and the fact that the rich are getting richer while everyone else is struggling to get by. Obama called for "shared sacrifice and shared prosperity."
His populist rhetoric provoked a reaction from the big business media, who warned Obama against stirring up "class warfare." Clearly, the establishment press realizes there is a danger of the Obama campaign igniting the deep reservoir of social discontent.
The Democrats seem poised to make gains against the Republicans in Congress in 2008. Whoever gets elected president in 2008 will be faced with colossal crises, both at home and abroad. The Obama campaign, while fostering illusions of change and hope, is not the vehicle of social change that the liberals imagine, but signals the opening of a new period of political and social instability.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Teacher Support Network
Message from the TSN:
Hello, I’m the digital media manager for Teacher Support Network. Just came across your blog. Neat stuff. You’re an active internet user and a teacher. I’m looking to develop new ways for teachers to get more involved using online community building tools. I just wanted to send you a personal invite to get involved in some of our upcoming things
Outside of our tools on our site http://teachersupport.info, We also have some entry points set up on the social network sites.
On Facebook:
Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teacher-Support-Network/8348473439
Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2385602766
Would enjoy your participation and feedback. We’re also looking to get more teacher bloggers involved with TSN’s online work to create more teacher bloggers, or at least more participants talking about issues facing UK educators. We’re in the midst of creating some new online tools and would be neat to have you on board to maybe look at some of them as we’re developing them.
Anyway, any input is welcome. Thanks in advance
Andrew Lyons
Digital Media Manager
Teacher Support Network
Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BE
Direct Line: +44 (020) 7554 5242 Fax: +44 (020) 7554 5239
Email: andrew.lyons@teachersupport.info
Hello, I’m the digital media manager for Teacher Support Network. Just came across your blog. Neat stuff. You’re an active internet user and a teacher. I’m looking to develop new ways for teachers to get more involved using online community building tools. I just wanted to send you a personal invite to get involved in some of our upcoming things
Outside of our tools on our site http://teachersupport.info, We also have some entry points set up on the social network sites.
On Facebook:
Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teacher-Support-Network/8348473439
Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2385602766
Would enjoy your participation and feedback. We’re also looking to get more teacher bloggers involved with TSN’s online work to create more teacher bloggers, or at least more participants talking about issues facing UK educators. We’re in the midst of creating some new online tools and would be neat to have you on board to maybe look at some of them as we’re developing them.
Anyway, any input is welcome. Thanks in advance
Andrew Lyons
Digital Media Manager
Teacher Support Network
Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BE
Direct Line: +44 (020) 7554 5242 Fax: +44 (020) 7554 5239
Email: andrew.lyons@teachersupport.info
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Steve Sinnott 1951-2008
NUT General Secretary, Steve Sinnott, died suddenly on 5 April, 2008. He was my age.
Acting General Secretary, Christine Blower said: “Our hearts go out to Steve’s family at this sad time.
I know that he would have wanted the Union to go ahead with all its campaigns because he believed in all of them with his heart as well as his head.
At a later stage we will have the opportunity properly to remember Steve Sinnott, to honour his achievements and to celebrate his life.
For now, the best way to mark our respect would be to maximise the effect of the campaigns to which he was so committed.”
Acting General Secretary, Christine Blower said: “Our hearts go out to Steve’s family at this sad time.
I know that he would have wanted the Union to go ahead with all its campaigns because he believed in all of them with his heart as well as his head.
At a later stage we will have the opportunity properly to remember Steve Sinnott, to honour his achievements and to celebrate his life.
For now, the best way to mark our respect would be to maximise the effect of the campaigns to which he was so committed.”
Friday, April 04, 2008
Teachers support the strike
The TES online survey shows massive support from non NUT teachers for strike action. Their union leaders should wake up and pay attention!
Source: TES online survey of 7,336 teachers, of whom 3,521
were NUT members
Is the one-day strike on April 24 a good idea?
All teachers Yes 62% No 38%
Non-NUT members Yes 52% No 48%
NUT members Yes 73% No 27%
(The same proportion of NUT members said they intended to
walk out on April 24)
Will it cause your school to close?
All teachers Yes 47% No 53%
Non-NUT members Yes 39% No 61%
NUT members Yes 55% No 45%
Source: TES online survey of 7,336 teachers, of whom 3,521
were NUT members
Is the one-day strike on April 24 a good idea?
All teachers Yes 62% No 38%
Non-NUT members Yes 52% No 48%
NUT members Yes 73% No 27%
(The same proportion of NUT members said they intended to
walk out on April 24)
Will it cause your school to close?
All teachers Yes 47% No 53%
Non-NUT members Yes 39% No 61%
NUT members Yes 55% No 45%
Friday, March 28, 2008
School Rules OK?
Our local swimming pool has three rules. Here they are:
1) Do not do anything dangerous.
2) Obey any instruction given to you by staff.
3) Enjoy yourself.
The third one isn't even a rule but just intended to create the right atmosphere.
Any school could manage with such a set of rules. Any pupil could understand them.
Alternatively our school had a rule "pupils may only wear flesh-coloured tights." One of our very few black pupils made a complete idiot of the head who tried to enforce that one!
1) Do not do anything dangerous.
2) Obey any instruction given to you by staff.
3) Enjoy yourself.
The third one isn't even a rule but just intended to create the right atmosphere.
Any school could manage with such a set of rules. Any pupil could understand them.
Alternatively our school had a rule "pupils may only wear flesh-coloured tights." One of our very few black pupils made a complete idiot of the head who tried to enforce that one!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
NUT 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:/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.
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:/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.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Some people are gay. Get over it.
I started teaching in 1979 and I wouldn't have put up a poster like this then. I put one up in my room this week and all the comments have been positive. Some pupils were quoting it to each other as a criticism and a suggestion they might like to heed its advice.
Have some Madeira M'dear
This song is by Flanders and Swan and was very funny when they used to do it:
She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice
She was fair, she was sweet seventeen
He was old, he was vile, and no stranger to vice
He was base, he was bad, he was me!
He had slyly inveigled her up to his flat
To view his collection of stamps
And he said as he hastened to put out the cat
The wine, his cigar and the lamps
Have some madeira, m'dear
You really have nothing to fear
I'm not trying to tempt you, that wouldn't be right
You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night
Have some madeira, m'dear
It's really much nicer than beer
I don't care for sherry, one cannot drink stout
And port is a wine I can well do without
It's simply a case of chacun a son gout
Have some madeira, m'dear
Unaware of the wiles of the snake-in-the-grass
And the fate of the maiden who topes
She lowered her standards by raising her glass
Her courage, her eyes and his hopes
She sipped it, she drank it, she drained it, she did
He quietly refilled it again
And he said as he secretly carved one more notch
On the butt of his gold-headed cane
Have some madeira, m'dear,
I've got a small cask of it here
And once it's been opened, you know it won't keep
Do drink it up, it will help you to sleep
Have some madeira, m'dear,
it's really an excellent year
Now if it were gin, you'd be wrong to say yes
The evil gin does would be hard to assess
Besides it's inclined to affect me prowess
Have some madeira, m'dear
Then there flashed through her mind what her mother had said
With her antepenultimate breath
"Oh my child, should you look on the wine when tis red
Be prepared for a fate worse than death"
She let go her glass with a shrill little cry
Crash! tinkle! it fell to the floor
When he asked, "What in Heaven?" she made no reply
Up her mind, and a dash for the door
Have some madeira, m'dear,
rang out down the hall loud and clear
A tremulous cry that was filled with despair
As she paused to take breath in the cool midnight air
Have some madeira, m'dear,
the words seemed to ring in her ear
Until the next morning, she woke up in bed
With a smile on her lips and an ache in her head
And a beard in her ear 'ole that tickled and said
Have some madeira, m'dear
She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice
She was fair, she was sweet seventeen
He was old, he was vile, and no stranger to vice
He was base, he was bad, he was me!
He had slyly inveigled her up to his flat
To view his collection of stamps
And he said as he hastened to put out the cat
The wine, his cigar and the lamps
Have some madeira, m'dear
You really have nothing to fear
I'm not trying to tempt you, that wouldn't be right
You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night
Have some madeira, m'dear
It's really much nicer than beer
I don't care for sherry, one cannot drink stout
And port is a wine I can well do without
It's simply a case of chacun a son gout
Have some madeira, m'dear
Unaware of the wiles of the snake-in-the-grass
And the fate of the maiden who topes
She lowered her standards by raising her glass
Her courage, her eyes and his hopes
She sipped it, she drank it, she drained it, she did
He quietly refilled it again
And he said as he secretly carved one more notch
On the butt of his gold-headed cane
Have some madeira, m'dear,
I've got a small cask of it here
And once it's been opened, you know it won't keep
Do drink it up, it will help you to sleep
Have some madeira, m'dear,
it's really an excellent year
Now if it were gin, you'd be wrong to say yes
The evil gin does would be hard to assess
Besides it's inclined to affect me prowess
Have some madeira, m'dear
Then there flashed through her mind what her mother had said
With her antepenultimate breath
"Oh my child, should you look on the wine when tis red
Be prepared for a fate worse than death"
She let go her glass with a shrill little cry
Crash! tinkle! it fell to the floor
When he asked, "What in Heaven?" she made no reply
Up her mind, and a dash for the door
Have some madeira, m'dear,
rang out down the hall loud and clear
A tremulous cry that was filled with despair
As she paused to take breath in the cool midnight air
Have some madeira, m'dear,
the words seemed to ring in her ear
Until the next morning, she woke up in bed
With a smile on her lips and an ache in her head
And a beard in her ear 'ole that tickled and said
Have some madeira, m'dear
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Supply Teachers - shock troops of education
I received a letter from my MP the other day in which he put forward the basic argument that allowing “flexibility” in the employment of agency staff made it possible for agencies to provide employment and any restriction of their “flexibility” would lead to a reduction in employment prospects.
I was inclined to ask this Tory MP, “what are you, New Labour?” because you couldn’t put a Rizla between the policies of the bosses’ parties on this issue.
It is of course a downright lie that paying people less and taking away their entitlement to pension benefits leads to more employment. What it does do is to keep the private agencies afloat. Without them schools would need some system of Local Authority supply lists. This is a system that was sacrificed on the altar of privatisation.
The conference motion on supply teachers contains the line “calls on the executive to campaign vigorously”. Yet this motion stands in the name of the executive! On those grounds alone it deserves your full support. The prospect of the executive trying to galvanise themselves is to be welcomed.
For many teachers supply teaching has been a way of reducing their timetable prior to retirement now that early retirement has become virtually unobtainable and retirement on the grounds of ill health is virtually impossible unless you are actually dead.
Paradoxically, supply teachers are often the shock troops of education, sent in to hold the line when nobody else can. Have you ever covered a class and found out within five minutes exactly why the usual teacher is off with stress-related illness? Supply teachers do this all the time.
And yet they are criminally underpaid and denied their pension rights in the name of “flexibility”. If they are not directly employed by a school the agencies will not pay a penny towards their CPD and they have to rely on their own resources to keep abreast of developments in education. The only people who provide free CPD for supply teachers are the NUT.
Whether the National Executive campaigns “vigorously” or in their more usual
less-than-vigorous manner, we need to fight for supply teachers. School reps can make their colleagues aware of the injustice affecting people who work at their side. The fat cats in agencies pay them less, rob them of pensions and pocket the difference.
It will help all of us in the fight against the creeping privatisation of education
If you want to help galvanise the executive contact classroomteachers.org.uk
I was inclined to ask this Tory MP, “what are you, New Labour?” because you couldn’t put a Rizla between the policies of the bosses’ parties on this issue.
It is of course a downright lie that paying people less and taking away their entitlement to pension benefits leads to more employment. What it does do is to keep the private agencies afloat. Without them schools would need some system of Local Authority supply lists. This is a system that was sacrificed on the altar of privatisation.
The conference motion on supply teachers contains the line “calls on the executive to campaign vigorously”. Yet this motion stands in the name of the executive! On those grounds alone it deserves your full support. The prospect of the executive trying to galvanise themselves is to be welcomed.
For many teachers supply teaching has been a way of reducing their timetable prior to retirement now that early retirement has become virtually unobtainable and retirement on the grounds of ill health is virtually impossible unless you are actually dead.
Paradoxically, supply teachers are often the shock troops of education, sent in to hold the line when nobody else can. Have you ever covered a class and found out within five minutes exactly why the usual teacher is off with stress-related illness? Supply teachers do this all the time.
And yet they are criminally underpaid and denied their pension rights in the name of “flexibility”. If they are not directly employed by a school the agencies will not pay a penny towards their CPD and they have to rely on their own resources to keep abreast of developments in education. The only people who provide free CPD for supply teachers are the NUT.
Whether the National Executive campaigns “vigorously” or in their more usual
less-than-vigorous manner, we need to fight for supply teachers. School reps can make their colleagues aware of the injustice affecting people who work at their side. The fat cats in agencies pay them less, rob them of pensions and pocket the difference.
It will help all of us in the fight against the creeping privatisation of education
If you want to help galvanise the executive contact classroomteachers.org.uk
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
This is not just vandalism
One of the features of East Grinstead is the Art Deco Caffyns building. Although it is a bit of a local landmark and stands out from some of the ghastly buildings around it, it has never had a perservation order on it.
Now it is to be demolished when it could have been preserved because a food shop is opening. This is not some teenager writing on a toilet wall. This is not just vandalism. This is M and S vandalism.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Florida Republican Guard
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)
(Two jokes for the price of one)
Friday, February 08, 2008
Woodard Corporation snubs parents and teachers
From the WSTA blog
Teachers and Parents oppose academies.
150 parents and teachers concerned about the threat to turn Littlehampton, Boundstone and King’s Manor into academies attended a meeting organised by the WSTA on Thursday 7th February..
The local authority's spokesman Robert Back was listened to in polite silence. He argued that although Academies had been corrupt and inefficient in the past they would be very different now. He also argued that the academy was “the only game in town.” The private sponsors Woodard Corporation refused to send anyone to speak to us.
Alistair Smith and Hank Roberts spoke on behalf of the NUT and got a very positive reception.
Alistair pointed out the dangers of Academies where historically the Local Authority has lost all say in the running of the school with the LA having one governor and the sponsors having the lion’s share.
He also stressed the social divisiveness of Academies. “Academies,” according to Lord Adonis, “are the 21st Century’s Grammar Schools.”
Hank Roberts pointed out that sponsors generously donating two million pounds can get upwards of 18 million pounds of public money for their trouble and frequently excessive profits are made through “consultancy fees” and the provision of equipment for the school. They are not sponsors but spongers.
Private businesses are colonising the state-funded education system.
Everyone who spoke from the floor was opposed to privatisation and not taken in by any of the promises. nor did they accept the arrogant assertion "there is no alternative". That is not a spirit in which to conduct a consultation. It is undemocratic...and anyway it is something Margaret Thatcher used to say a lot.
There was also discussion about the spread of religious schools without any popular demand. Hank warned of the proliferation of separate schools for children whose parents have different religious views and the potential divisiveness this will bring about.
Teachers and Parents oppose academies.
150 parents and teachers concerned about the threat to turn Littlehampton, Boundstone and King’s Manor into academies attended a meeting organised by the WSTA on Thursday 7th February..
The local authority's spokesman Robert Back was listened to in polite silence. He argued that although Academies had been corrupt and inefficient in the past they would be very different now. He also argued that the academy was “the only game in town.” The private sponsors Woodard Corporation refused to send anyone to speak to us.
Alistair Smith and Hank Roberts spoke on behalf of the NUT and got a very positive reception.
Alistair pointed out the dangers of Academies where historically the Local Authority has lost all say in the running of the school with the LA having one governor and the sponsors having the lion’s share.
He also stressed the social divisiveness of Academies. “Academies,” according to Lord Adonis, “are the 21st Century’s Grammar Schools.”
Hank Roberts pointed out that sponsors generously donating two million pounds can get upwards of 18 million pounds of public money for their trouble and frequently excessive profits are made through “consultancy fees” and the provision of equipment for the school. They are not sponsors but spongers.
Private businesses are colonising the state-funded education system.
Everyone who spoke from the floor was opposed to privatisation and not taken in by any of the promises. nor did they accept the arrogant assertion "there is no alternative". That is not a spirit in which to conduct a consultation. It is undemocratic...and anyway it is something Margaret Thatcher used to say a lot.
There was also discussion about the spread of religious schools without any popular demand. Hank warned of the proliferation of separate schools for children whose parents have different religious views and the potential divisiveness this will bring about.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Teach boys to stab?
I see Norman Tebbitt has done it again - this time saying all boys should be taught to shoot. He always was barking but he seems to have become worse. Obviously what we should do is teach them to stab while we are at it
I wonder if he does it so that Boris will look sane by comparison. He has got a job on his hands if so.
It is on a par with the other Tory policy of paying members of your family to do nothing. I know a lot of teenage boys who need no incentives to do nothing.
I wonder if he does it so that Boris will look sane by comparison. He has got a job on his hands if so.
It is on a par with the other Tory policy of paying members of your family to do nothing. I know a lot of teenage boys who need no incentives to do nothing.
Monday, January 28, 2008
McDonalds A levels
From the WSTA weblog
We have news that McDonalds are introducing their own A levels and we have an exclusive preview of the paper:
Is McDonalds?
a) a vicious anti-union low wage employer?
b) a fast track to a heart attack?
c) fun in a bun?
d) animal cruelty incarnate
If your answer was (c) congratulations you now have a Mc A
level.
(before the Millionaire McLawyers get on the McPhone this is
a joke of course)
We have news that McDonalds are introducing their own A levels and we have an exclusive preview of the paper:
Is McDonalds?
a) a vicious anti-union low wage employer?
b) a fast track to a heart attack?
c) fun in a bun?
d) animal cruelty incarnate
If your answer was (c) congratulations you now have a Mc A
level.
(before the Millionaire McLawyers get on the McPhone this is
a joke of course)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Woodard Corporation takeover of schools
Teachers are up in arms about the transfer of three schools to the Woodard Corporation. this is the press release I was busy with yesterday:
Teachers in West Sussex are planning a campaign against proposals to turn three of the County's secondary schools into Academies, starting with a Public Meeting on Thursday 7 February at 7.30pm in the Assembly Rooms, Worthing.
Dave Thomas, local Secretary for the National Union of Teachers, said:
We are opposed to Academies in West Sussex because:
they undermine democratically controlled Local Authorities,
they put schools in the hands of unaccountable sponsors,
they threaten teachers' pay and working conditions,
they will introduce three more schools of a faith character, with minimal consultation and a reduction in parents' choice.
At a meeting of West Sussex NUT held on Wed 16th Jan, the following motion was passed unanimously:
'WSTA is opposed to the establishment of Academies in West Sussex. It further deplores the lack of consultation by the Woodard Corporation and WSCC with the staff and their representatives in the schools concerned, namely, Boundstone CC, Kings Manor CC and Littlehampton CC.'
The meeting was attended by NUT members from all three schools and from other schools throughout West Sussex.
The public meeting is open to parents, teachers, support staff and others with an interest in state education to allow them an opportunity to air their concerns.
Teachers in West Sussex are planning a campaign against proposals to turn three of the County's secondary schools into Academies, starting with a Public Meeting on Thursday 7 February at 7.30pm in the Assembly Rooms, Worthing.
Dave Thomas, local Secretary for the National Union of Teachers, said:
We are opposed to Academies in West Sussex because:
they undermine democratically controlled Local Authorities,
they put schools in the hands of unaccountable sponsors,
they threaten teachers' pay and working conditions,
they will introduce three more schools of a faith character, with minimal consultation and a reduction in parents' choice.
At a meeting of West Sussex NUT held on Wed 16th Jan, the following motion was passed unanimously:
'WSTA is opposed to the establishment of Academies in West Sussex. It further deplores the lack of consultation by the Woodard Corporation and WSCC with the staff and their representatives in the schools concerned, namely, Boundstone CC, Kings Manor CC and Littlehampton CC.'
The meeting was attended by NUT members from all three schools and from other schools throughout West Sussex.
The public meeting is open to parents, teachers, support staff and others with an interest in state education to allow them an opportunity to air their concerns.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Workload and Pay
from Classroom Teacher
Hands up all those who have had this experience. We called a meeting at school to discuss the issue of workload. And at the beginning of the meeting I had to read out all the apologies of people who could not come because they were too busy!
For teachers "excessive workload" means workload which seems to serve no educational purpose. Colleagues who voted to boycott the SATS on grounds of workload were coming in every weekend for rehearsals of the school play. The obvious benefit for the pupils of the school play outtrumped the demerits of SATS.
I think if people are going to refuse excessive workload they have to have some confidence the union will back them. And that would require a ballot.
At conference the Executive argued against a ballot on workload because it would confuse the issue and we needed to concentrate on getting a result in a pay ballot.
Then there was a bit of a hiatus and this week a decision has to be taken, a "robust" decision perhaps? Woe betide the NUT leadership if they come up with an invertebrate decision instead.
There is a discussion about this on the TES website
You can join in here
Hands up all those who have had this experience. We called a meeting at school to discuss the issue of workload. And at the beginning of the meeting I had to read out all the apologies of people who could not come because they were too busy!
For teachers "excessive workload" means workload which seems to serve no educational purpose. Colleagues who voted to boycott the SATS on grounds of workload were coming in every weekend for rehearsals of the school play. The obvious benefit for the pupils of the school play outtrumped the demerits of SATS.
I think if people are going to refuse excessive workload they have to have some confidence the union will back them. And that would require a ballot.
At conference the Executive argued against a ballot on workload because it would confuse the issue and we needed to concentrate on getting a result in a pay ballot.
Then there was a bit of a hiatus and this week a decision has to be taken, a "robust" decision perhaps? Woe betide the NUT leadership if they come up with an invertebrate decision instead.
There is a discussion about this on the TES website
You can join in here
Monday, January 14, 2008
Action and Change for Teachers
A group of teachers who backed Martin Powell-Davies’ recent stand in the NUT Vice-President election met on Saturday January 12th . The meeting discussed what needs to be done to build action to defend teachers’ pay, cut our relentless workload and to halt the break-up of local authority education.
A leadership we can rely on
One thing that still holds us back is the lack of a fighting union leadership that teachers can rely on to build the united action we need. Martin’s campaign helped keep up the pressure on the NUT Executive to call the promised national ballot for strike action on pay. We hope that the Executive will vote to get the ballot under way when they meet at the end of January. By then the Government should finally have announced the miserly salary awards that they expect us to put up with for 2008-2010.
Building support for classroom teachers
Most teachers, struggling with the daily grind in schools, will know nothing about the debates within the Union. But they know they need support in standing up to the demands of bullying managers and the pressures of observations, league tables and performance management. Hard-pressed school reps know they need support in organising their school group and explaining union campaigns in a way that grabs classroom teachers’ attention.
Many hard-pressed Union Secretaries and officers will feel the same way. Too often left on their own to try and build school-by-school action in isolation, ground down by a rising mountain of individual casework, they also need support in building strong local Associations that can defend teachers and also to help bring in new members, especially young teachers, into activity.
It’s this vital task, of helping to develop a strong network of classroom teachers, school reps and campaigning union officers that the meeting agreed had to be our first priority.
A campaigning newsletter
We agreed to build our network by launching a new campaigning newsletter, “Classroom Teacher”, to circulate to schools, both by e-mail and as printed copies that teachers can distribute to their colleagues. It will focus primarily on the main pay and conditions issues facing classroom teachers and the campaigns we can build to defend ourselves.
The newsletter plans to be sharp and snappy, written by, and for, classroom teachers, reflecting the daily pressures we are under but also building confidence that together we can take action to turn the tide. We plan to put names to the articles reflecting the range of teachers involved in the network. At the same time, we hope to have room to include some more detailed commentary for teachers who also want to read something a bit more analytical about the problems we face. We also want to invite teachers to send in their own articles and comments and to be a real part of a growing network.
We hope that the newsletter can develop in to a larger bulletin – which will mean appealing for finances too. It will certainly be regularly produced so that ‘Classroom Teacher’ will be there in staffrooms at least every half-term for teachers to read.
A first flyer has been produced based on a Lewisham NUT newsletter “Too Much Work, Too Little Pay” which went down well at a recent national NUT Secretaries meeting. A further leaflet on the pay campaign should be out shortly.
The ‘Classroom Teacher’ network
The newsletter will advertise an e-mail, this blog and our website which will allow teachers to get in touch with the campaign and also post their own comments on our blog. We also have a Classroom Teacher account on youtube.
We have also set up a classroom teacher e-group which will allow members of the network to easily contact each other and exchange views and information.
We hope that teachers will forward our newsletter to colleagues and develop its circulation. We
want to make sure we know where it is being read, get feedback on what teachers have thought of it but, above all, get new teachers to join the network and write their own comments and articles.
Where there is support, we will also organise national or regional meetings around particular issues or campaigns so that we can bring teachers together and help plan a way forward. We can also produce material to be distributed at NUT Conference, although our main focus is going to be on classroom teachers rather than national NUT events.
We hope this initiative can help build a network of classroom teachers working together to defend our colleagues and to build a union ready and prepared to take action to change our pay, our workload, our union and our schools.
Contact:
classroom.teacher@yahoo.co.uk
Martin Powell-Davies 07946 445488
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Channel 4 political awards
The characters listed for this award are as follows:
Of those available I would probably opt for the anti-war protestors although this is technically voting for myself!
Tony Blair: Call 09011 27 27 01
or Vote by email
Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness: Call 09011 27 27 02
or Vote by email
Ken Livingstone: Call 09011 27 27 03
or Vote by email
Alex Salmond: Call 09011 27 27 04
or Vote by email
The Countryside Alliance: Call 09011 27 27 05
or Vote by email
Anti-Iraq war protestors: Call 09011 27 27 06
or Vote by email
Don't use their premium rate phone lines, you can vote for free.
http://tinyurl.com/3yl9gh
What is the betting New Labour have full time staff phoning in day and night?
Of those available I would probably opt for the anti-war protestors although this is technically voting for myself!
Tony Blair: Call 09011 27 27 01
or Vote by email
Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness: Call 09011 27 27 02
or Vote by email
Ken Livingstone: Call 09011 27 27 03
or Vote by email
Alex Salmond: Call 09011 27 27 04
or Vote by email
The Countryside Alliance: Call 09011 27 27 05
or Vote by email
Anti-Iraq war protestors: Call 09011 27 27 06
or Vote by email
Don't use their premium rate phone lines, you can vote for free.
http://tinyurl.com/3yl9gh
What is the betting New Labour have full time staff phoning in day and night?
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