TS-0228-20200228

13 H O T TO P I C Join the CONVERSATION The Academy of Ideas Education Forum gathers monthly to discuss trends in educational policy, theory and practice. Find out more at academyofideas.org.uk/forums/education_forum. protesting against climate change is a matter for individual conscience. Many teachers have enthusiastically embraced this politicisation of education, as it’s given them a heightened sense of purpose. With schools devoting ever more time and resources to extra-curricular experiences, after-school clubs, pastoral provision and mentoring support, it’s increasingly likely that teachers’ own political views and convictions will affect how they respond to, and implement these highly political processes. Yet the vast majority of teachers aren’t terror experts, most understand little about the science of carbon emissions and some are in no position to lecture anybody about healthy diets. Moreover, the teaching profession isn’t representative of the UK electorate. An estimated 9% of teachers planned to vote Conservative in 2019, according to an analysis by the service Teacher Tapp (see bit.ly/tt-vote-19) , while a Tes survey carried out before the EU referendum found that 70% of teachers thought the UK should remain in the EU (see bit.ly/tes-eu-ref) . Such statistics would be of no concern in an apolitical education system. But when the subject of, say, sex education is placed in the hands of politicised teachers, parents are entitled to be concerned about the impact on their own family values. In a politicised education system everything is at risk – even the curriculum, the one precious commodity that makes going to school worthwhile. I think that the library is best placed to be the centrepoint for protecting education in a school. There, you will typically find a range of works that children can learn from for themselves – a place where values and morality can be caught and not taught. It’s in everyone’s interests that children be simply taught well and allowed to develop their own political and moral values when they feel ready to do so. The situation is further not helped by a political class incapable of collectively upholding core values. Children benefit from consistency, but politicians have become inconsistent. Take the outcome of the Brexit referendum. It should ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ian Mitchell has worked as a teacher of English and Psychology for 22 years in the state and independent sectors not be at all controversial for teachers to state that the outcome of a democratic vote ought to be upheld, yet to cite this basic democratic principle was, until the recent general election, to take sides on the debate. How could a teacher have discussed Brexit under such circumstances with students without imparting their political views? The best way of keeping teachers politically neutral is to keep political issues out of the education system. When teachers spend their time teaching the curriculum – the material and ideas that teachers themselves are experts in – that’s when they’re at their best. If you want to depoliticise schools, then let teachers stick to what they know. teachwire.net/secondary