Save our Schools lobby of parliament

The Save our Schools lobby of parliament was a huge success. Representatives of teaching unions, parents, children, school leaders, Governors and MPs all turned out to give a very clear message to the coalition Government that their Academies Bill and the cutting of BSF is not welcome or needed.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to congregate at Methodist Central Hall in London and those who went on to lobby their MPs about our genuine concerns about the way the Government is rushing this Bill through.

This Government's ideological attack on state education has to be opposed. Legislation to create many more academies and the new so called “free schools” is an attack on the very existence of free, state comprehensive education which is democratically accountable. It is privatisation on a grand scale and is unacceptable.

The combination of this privatisation and the cuts to come will leave schools with larger classes and teachers with deep concerns about how they can provide a high quality of educational experience to all the children they teach.

We must work across the trade union movement and with parents and Governors to make sure that all children have access to a good local school for every child. Education cuts never heal and will leave many children without access to the education which can help to bring greater social justice to our society.

As we all know there is much campaigning that needs to be done but in the meantime I hope everyone manages to get a good break over the summer holidays and look forward to starting afresh in what will be a busy Autumn term.

Christine Blower
General Secretary
30 June 2010

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