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Lessons to be learned from school crisis
WHOEVER is responsible for the financial problems facing William Ellis secondary school, or whatever their causes, the situation will only be made worse if staff are laid off in an attempt to balance the books.
In desperation the head teacher – as well as, presumably, the governors – have targeted for the chop five ‘learning mentors’ who have been brought in to help troubled youngsters with behavioural problems. Other damaging economies are apparently in the pipeline.
The school is – perhaps understandably at this stage – reluctant to go public with exact figures. Only a leaked document that reached this newspaper threw light on the school’s rescue package.
As we said last week, the real guilty party behind the financial crisis are Mrs Thatcher and Tony Blair who set out to detach schools from the local authority and make them responsible for their own ‘profit and loss’ account.
Policy makers should decide whether they want head teachers and governors to be managing directors and company board members – or educators. They cannot have it both ways.
Unfortunately, the Tory-Lib-Dem coalition appears to be developing a hands-off policy.
They should chip in immediately with, in effect, a temporary loan – without interest, if possible – to steady the school financially.
Equally, opponents of the government’s wrong-headed policy of turning schools into businesses should keep on campaigning for a more progressive education programme.
Shoot not the messenger, Ken
THE row between the London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, and the Evening Standard over allegations of corruption is getting uglier and uglier. This week, the Mayor accused the paper’s investigative reporter Andrew Gilligan of being “dishonest” and responsible for the death of the government scientist, David Kelly.
In fact, Gilligan’s exposure of the government’s dodgy dossier on Saddam’s so-called weapons of mass destruction turned out to be pretty accurate. The finger of blame for David Kelly’s death should be pointed at the government – not a journalist who followed the trail of truth.
It’s rather strange that the Mayor, as an opponent of the war, does not acknowledge Gilligan’s splendid investigative work.
Will sense and goodwill prevail this season?
THE health and safety lot are at it again – this time they want to reject a wonderful initiative by the homeless charity Crisis to turn the Welcome Trust library into a Christmas ‘home’ for 250 men and women who are living on the streets. Let’s hope the Town Hall leaders due to discuss the plan tomorrow (Friday) will apply commonsense and Christmas charity.
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