Saturday 29 January 2005

Free the teachers

There's a bit of a row about a campaign to encourage London teachers to move to Scotland, and London isn't amused:
Jo Valentine, the chief executive of London First, said: "I think it’s unhelpful if bits of the UK compete with other parts to sort out their problems with teacher numbers and do so by seeking to point out the failings of others."
I don't see why it's wrong to point out the "benefits of living in Scotland instead of the south-east of England". What is wrong, "unhelpful" even, is that schools are owned by the state. Ms (or Mr?) Valentine should realise that London's economy is thriving because it is overwhelmingly capitalist. Teachers (and pupils) would benefit from being part of the capitalist world and that includes the possibility of being "poached" by rival employers.

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

Andrew Ian Dodge
Any competition in education is a good thing.

31 January 2005, 13:50:42 GMT
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William
Yes, it says much about London's unhealthy dominance over the rest of the country. 
 
I don't see what Ms Valentine is complaining about either. Surely free competition, all things being equal, between employers is a good thing.

31 January 2005, 11:01:54 GMT
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David Malloch
The thing is, the South East of England doesn't need fancy (public funded) advertising campaigns to get Scots to economically migrate there. The fact that you need to advertise speaks volumes.

29 January 2005, 12:24:17 GMT