the frightening mr gove…

Yes, I know I keep on going on (and on) about Michael Gove…

I’m sorry. I promise to stop (eventually).
On Wednesday, I posted this on facebook:
“My friend Andrew has been at the Royal Courts of Justice over the past couple of days supporting his school’s claim for a judicial review over the forced Academy process. He reports that that it seems that the ONLY person qualified to make a decision over the future of a school is Michael Gove. NOT Local Authorities, NOT Governing Bodies, NOT staff, NOT the local community and NEVER Parents. Consultation can take place after an agreement has been made between Mr Gove and a Private Company and even then there is no obligation to meet and discuss alternatives.
As my friend Andrew says: “Education: the last Gold Mine”.
Yesterday on facebook, I shared a Guardian article about Gove overruling experts to allow the sale of school playing fields.
Somewhat scarily, I noticed this letter in today’s Guardian (from Nigel Gann of Somerset) which rather linked these two stories, entitled “Gove plays fast and loose on play space”:
“The Department for Education's ‘mistake’ over the extent of school sports fields sold and Michael Gove’s overruling of expert advice, need to be seen in the context of the academy conversion policy. As “The Land” magazine reports, over half of secondary school land in England has now been handed over to private trusts accountable only to the secretary of state. All of this land once belonged to the public through its local council. The DfE is unable to quantify this because it doesn't keep records, but in Somerset alone it amounts to around 100 hectares already. And, if the secretary of state agrees, it can be sold off. Some Olympic legacy”.
Indeed!
By the time people wake up to this (similar examples can be found in the realms of the NHS and other Public Services!), it’ll be too late!
Photo: I love this photo – many thanks to Emma N for spotting/sharing (and acknowledgements to arthitectural for their great image).