To distract from its mishandling of the pandemic, the UK government has found a new target. But the public don’t buy it
Since time immemorial, Tories have conducted culture wars against teachers, from their gay people-bashing, section 28 days to Michael Gove’s assaults on “the blob”. This week Gavin Williamson has been forced to retreat from his recent eye-catching ban on schools using material from groups with “a desire to end capitalism”, likening it to the “endorsement of illegal activity” (such as the internal market bill?). Anti-racism, environmental and other campaigners threatened a court case, so now “the wording of the guidance is being reviewed”.
All through the pandemic schools have been under attack, as government scapegoating of teachers acts as a distraction from Britain’s Covid failures. Boris Johnson tried unsuccessfully to goad Keir Starmer in prime minister’s questions yesterday when Starmer raised teachers’ justified concerns. This week, Greenwich and Islington councils called off plans to shut their schools a few days early, faced with sky-rocketing infections in their boroughs due to Williamson’s threatened legal action.
