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Kelly shies away from school quiz
Minister tight-lipped on reforms
EDUCATION secretary Ruth Kelly yesterday (Wednesday) refused
to be drawn on her planned reforms for education when she visited
a Tufnell Park school.
Ms Kelly flatly told New Journal reporters that she would not
answer questions on fears held by parents, teachers and governors
that changes will lead to new forms of pupil selection at secondary
schools.
Visiting Acland Burghley School in Burghley Road to help promote
new sports policies, Ms Kelly said: “I’m not here
to talk about that.”
The minister’s refusal to answer questions from the New
Journal follows her decision to dodge interviews when she attended
Gospel Oak Children’s Centre in November for a publicity
photo-shoot.
While Ms Kelly declined to comment, opponents of the Education
White Paper from Camden and Islington are organising a public
meeting to drive home their protest.
Fiona Millar, Cherie Blair’s former aide who lives in Gospel
Oak, will share a platform with Camden’s education chief,
Councillor Lucy Anderson, in the Town Hall’s main chamber
on Thursday February 23.
Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson and Michael Shew, headteacher
at Acland Burghley, are also due to speak at the public meeting
– sponsored by trade unions NUT and Unison.
Actress Arabella Weir, who lives in Islington, and anti-City
Academy campaigner Ken Muller will also speak out over the proposals.
The open session begins at 6pm.
Andrew Baisley, from Camden NUT, said: “We hope to found
a Camden branch of ‘Case’, the Campaign for the Advancement
of State Education.
“This group would not only campaign against the current
white paper but, if the white paper is accepted, then the branch
would fight against things such as trust schools and city academies
in this area.” |
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