National Education Union (NUT Section) Conference 2018 A Morning Star special pullout Much to debate and much to decide for delegates this Easter HIS Easter by Kevin Courtney ment methods used in our on teacher pay are clear — with 2015-16. This is simply will be holding a weekend of weekend the NEU (NUT Section) schools is driving the joy out with government teacher unsustainable. action on April 21-22 to high- NUT section general secretary of learning and teaching. recruitment targets missed Our survey of members light our serious concerns. of the National The government has year after year and teach- on funding will be released So, much to debate and TE d u c a t i o n turned our classrooms into ers leaving the profession over the Easter weekend. It much to decide. Union will be orities that delegates feel exam factories with chil- in record numbers. paints a bleak picture. The NEU will be work- debating the issues that are getting in the way of dren from the age of four Funding is having a dev- With local elections ing in the months ahead matter most to teachers and either their profession or upwards being tested and astating impact on schools around the corner, the gov- to ensure that government school staff. children’s education. measured within an inch and pupils. Some £2.5 billion ernment should pay heed to listens to the voice of our It is clear from our Survey after survey dem- of their life. has been lost from budgets the fact that education fund- members and starts mak- agenda that workload, onstrates the unsustain- Teacher pay has been cut since 2015 resulting in 91 per ing played such a big part in ing the changes we need funding and assessment able hours being worked by by 15 per cent since 2010. cent of schools facing real- the general election. in education, funding and are some of the main pri- teachers. The current assess- The impact of these attacks terms budget cuts compared The School Cuts coalition employment. DON’T FORGET! NO MORNING STAR EDITION ON MONDAY. WE’LL SEE YOU ON TUESDAY BILLY STRACHAN: FOR PEACE AND SOCIALISM Peter Frost remembers an RAF hero with a different story to tell PAGE 12 £1.50 Saturday/Sunday March 31-April 1 2018 Proudly owned by our readers | Incorporating the Daily Worker | Est 1930 | morningstaronline.co.uk A Morning Star OVER 80% supplement National Education OF TEACHERS Union (NUT Section) Conference 2018 ‘VICTIMS OF AMANDA MARTIN Discusses exciting times ahead for the SCHOOL SEX new union: P2 KIRI TUNKS on the importance of teachers’ overseas HARASSMENT’ links: p5 GAWAIN LITTLE Disturbing report details level of abuse by pupils The trade union has by Sam Tobin Of the 1,290 people surveyed, only one-third reporting every where sexual harassment and bul- more to do than in Birmingham two-thirds claimed to have received incident. lying occur and employers fail to inappropriate comments about NASUWT general secretary operate a zero-tolerance approach. defend status quo: P2 their appearance, more than half Chris Keates said the findings were “While the scale of the sexual MANY teachers in England have said they had received inappropri- cause for concern, but warned that harassment is deeply disturbing, been sexually harassed by one of ate sexual comments and 21 per schools’ failure to act on reports of equally disturbing is the scale of their pupils, a “deeply disturbing” cent said they had been sexually harassment was equally troubling. the failure to act on the incidents KEN JONES examination of life in the class- propositioned. Ms Keates said: “Schools should that were reported.” room by teachers’ union NASUWT Some 3 per cent said they had be places of safety, yet research NASUWT’s research shows that 8 has found. been the victim of “upskirting” — undertaken by the NASUWT is per cent of teachers surveyed claim Tackling Tory dogma A recent survey of teaching staff taking photographs or videos of a showing us that too often teach- they were sexually harassed by a found 81 per cent felt they had suf- victim’s groin from beneath their ers are being exposed to sexual- pupil. is essential: P4 fered workplace sexual harassment clothing — or had images taken ised comments and abuse from One respondent said a sixth-form or bullying since entering the pro- down their top while at work. colleagues, managers, parents and student wrote a sexually explicit fession, while 30 per cent said they Shockingly, 42 per cent of teach- pupils. story about a member of staff and had been subjected to unwanted ing staff said they did not report “The NASUWT will have no hesi- handed it in to them. Plus much more! touching. any incidents of harassment, with tation in taking action in schools Turn to page 2 PAGE 9 DIANE ABBOTT: GRENFELL LESSONS PAGE 22 CLAPTON FC: AN SOS CALL Morning Star morningstaronline.co.uk 2 Saturday/Sunday features morningstaronline March 31-April 1 2018 @m_star_online NEU/NUT CONFERENCE SPECIAL EDITION Exciting times ahead for our new union ASTER 2018 for me tion unions to join us in our and, I guess, other campaign for funding because NUT delegates will AMANDA MARTIN is full of optimism disunity only divides. be filled with opti- All workers in the educa- Emism and excite- about what the NEU can achieve tion sector face the same chal- ment and tinged lenges, so all unions in the with a little nostalgic sadness. sector should be stepping up Brighton sees the last ever to the plate. NUT annual conference — locally and nationally. change we need to look back will. Let no-one characterise Without professional unity number 147! There has never been a bet- at what the visionary, former public-sector workers as oppo- we are doing our future genera- Looking back it is amazing to ter time to put pressure on the NUT general secretary Steve nents of change. Nothing could tions a disservice. see what an impact our union government and Ofsted. Sinnott had to say back in 2004. be further from the truth. We as the NEU need to find has had on the working lives Research, parent groups, “I pledge that no-one will “For teachers, change is at ways to continue with our own of teachers and the education pupils, academic experts, areas work harder than I to achieve the heart of our profession. A recruitment but at the same “ system in this country. of the business world and our the union’s historic objective of child is changed by education. time work with others to bring As the National Education union are speaking with one unity in the profession. A child can be liberated by them into the family. It is vital that we Union, still in its infancy, voice. “Below the surface, despite it. We are experts in change. There is only one enemy begins to grow and combine It is vital that we seize the present open differences Change and progress come and that at the moment is this seize this the best aspects of both union this opportunity because the between the teacher unions, from involvement, creating atrocious Tory government, traditions, we can be filled with system and profession are at there are opportunities for pro- shared objectives, common which simply does not care. optimism at the high impact breaking point. fessional unity to be achieved goals. Yes, working in partner- I have always said that the opportunity that the NEU has already had. We have won some gains on by the generation of teachers ship. Change for the better can- union should be the family Since bursting onto the trade funding, £1.3 billion put back to which I belong. not be achieved by imposition.” that you want to join, fami- because the union platform in September, into the education budget “I will not squander these If the NEU are truly to do lies have differences but when the NEU has seen a growth in after our successful campaign opportunities. We should cor- as Sinnott suggested some 14 needed they pull together — to system and membership, and a real positive and workload guidance from rect the aberration of 70 years years ago and seek unity in the seek progress and fundamen- buzz in schools and colleges up Ofsted and conversations with of disunity. Public-sector work- profession, we need to extend tal change we need to pull and down the country. all three political parties. ers do not wish to scar any- our hand to the other educa- together. profession are at It is with great pride that I But is this enough? Short body’s back. We are healers and tion unions — something I did have attended meetings along- answer: no. It is a great start we are carers, but this govern- from the platform of TUC 2017 ■ Amanda Martin is senior vice- breaking point side my ATL colleagues both but if we are to make real ment is squandering our good when I invited all the educa- president of the NUT. does not recognise any funda- “performance”-related rewards mental difference of interests and punishments, based on between working people and narrow measures of school those who hold economic and effectiveness, which have noth- A trade union should political power. ing to do with genuine educa- The problem with this view, tion and have a knock-on effect when applied to education, is on the curriculum, increasingly that it simply doesn’t stand up narrowing and stripping out to closer inspection.