Morgan unlikely to change things

Of course, teachers all over the country, "pushed to breaking point by Gove`s nightmare schools experiment", will have celebrated his removal. However, did they notice that after Cameron`s reshuffle, Labour commented that nearly all the education ministers at the DfE were privately educated, when their shadow secretary for education is Tristram Hunt, former pupil of University College School, with fees around£5K a term? Presumably Hunt`s initial appointment had much to do with the need to challenge Gove at the dispatch box in the Commons, where his posh historical expertise could be a match for the Secretary of State`s superiority complex? Whether such "skills" are needed now is debateable.

   Morgan`s appointment will inevitably entail a more conciliatory approach,and no doubt, problems for Labour. It will certainly hinder Hunt`s policy of out-Goveing the previous encumbent. His refusal to support the teaching profession, either in their struggle to maintain acceptable pay and pensions, or in their objections to the assessment reforms and removal of the "level playing field", could well prove yet another embarrassment for the Labour leader, especially if Hunt continues to insist that "character and resilience" can only be found in the private sector! That alone should have been enough for his removal, not to mention his crossing picket lines! Another reshuffle could well be on the cards!

   There must be somebody in the Labour party, state- educated, who appreciates the brilliant work being done by everyone working in the education state sector. Unlike, obviously, the current Secretary of State!

What is revealed when privately-educated, corporate lawyer, Nicky Morgan says that she "will be nice to teachers" is that this government, still dominated by multi-millionaires,will continue to insult and patronise the teaching profession. Would the Attorney General make a similar comment about the legal profession? Is the Foreign Secretary going to be "nice" to Putin or Obama? Of course not, but when it comes to 60 hours a week, pay-frozen teachers, the condescension can be laid on with a trowel.

  Gove did it for four years, and succeeded in uniting all the teaching unions, something previously thought impossible! But if she thinks such patronising remarks will prevent future industrial action, she`s clearly got another thing coming, especially after the "fantastic success of the July 10 public-sector strike". (Morning Star,24/07/14) Most of us would have thought that serious praise for the excellent work being done in our state schools would have been the obvious start!