UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Monday 14 October 2013

Labour's embrace of 'parent-led' academies is a retrograde step

This is what happens when you put public school boys in charge of policies they have no concept of understanding. As a product of University College School Tristram’s view of the world is clouded by an idealistic education that so called independent ‘parent led’ schools will not and do not now replicate. Will it be the parents of children from households where no one is working, living on a sprawling council estate that will get together to form parent led independent schools or it will be the sharp-elbowed middle-classes sucking the life blood from scarce local resources that take up this so called offer of support? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24510283

As we have seen with academies this is about fragmenting the very principles of free education for all. It is a pathetic and retrograde step for Labour to take. A shameful embarrassment at a point when Ed Miliband was gaining some credibility back on energy policy and housing issues we have managed to give succour to the new labour vision for education which is as far removed from a socialist vision for education as Michael Gove’s himself.

Anna Rose