I passionately feel it is wrong
For people to call for the resignation of Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, over the Great Exam Results Robbery, described perfectly here by Marina Hyde as his ‘Disasasterclass’ and a ‘S*** storm’.
Click here to sign the petition for the resignation of someone who should have known better.
WE NEED EXPERTS
Ten years ago, Michael Gove worked with Dominic Cummings at the Department of Education to set a path for the country's education and thus its economy, democracy, and possibly even health.
Michael Gove has since famously said "We've had enough of experts".
He laid the way for a succession of education ministers with no real experience of education.
So it would be unfair to demand Gavin Williamson's resignation as he probably hasn't ruined the futures of many young people on purpose, that would take a particularly nasty, short sighted and ideologically driven type of person.
Gavin Williamson probably got the job because he isn't an expert in education (apparently he was a previously fireplace salesman)
Anyway the department will need some continuity after who I see as the biggest culprit in the Department of Education actually is fired for "ruining" the lives of many young people not just this year but for a decade now.
Only one UK minister has presided over UK Education Policy, a Narrow Curriculum, an Education Crisis and Examination Policy for ten years and is one of its biggest fans.
He may have got the job because he isn't an expert too.
He was what?
Schools Minister, Mr Nick Gibb, The Conservative MP for Bognor Regis was an accountant before entering politics, implying he was good with data and writing algorithms
From the video clip of him here on national TV a year or so go, it would appear that simple arithmetic isn’t a strong point either!
Today as a dad, education consultant, art activist and on behalf of the UK's creative industries and its contribution to the UK economy I call for the resignation of the Right Hon Nick Gibb MP
I demand that #GibbMustGo
I have met and spoken to Mr Gibb on several occasions. He's a lovely chap, has listened to (and dismissed) my concerns and seems well intentioned.
But after ten years we surely need at least one expert in the Department of Education Ministerial team, not a data and algorithm amateur.
'First they said they needed data about the children to find out what they’re learning.
Then they said they needed data about the children to make sure they are learning.
Then the children only learnt what could be turned into data.
Then the children became data'
Michael Rosen
Let's #TrustOurTeachers with our children's futures not accountants
Click here to sign my petition now that calls for the resignation of Mr Gibb if you instantly agree
Or read on if you need some more evidence to convince you.
A Conservative Party Revolt
The recent A-Level (and soon GCSE?) fiasco has been derided across the political divide for the way it has literally robbed many young people of futures they have worked hard for:
"The government must stop digging and accept teacher assessment" - Former Conservative Education Minister Lord Kenneth Baker on BBC News 16/08/20
"We need an education system for the future and should consider coursework" - Conservative MP and Chair Cross Party Parliamentary Committee Robert Halfon MP on LBC 16/08/20
"The role of politicians is to bring humanity to the process... Abandon the algorithm, use teacher assessment" - Lord Iain Duncan-Smith on LBC 16/08/20
The system has largely worked as it always was designed to, to deliver the required number of winners and losers every year.
And with jobs disappearing due to robots and AI and now Covid19 we now need more losers and where better to start convincing people that they are losers, than at school?
What's the point of School?
I'm a dad, who ten years ago saw a TED Talk, read had a book and went to a festival and started looking closer at how and why we educate our children and what communities could do to help.
With a career in the creative industries I was particularly concerned about the idea that the ‘education system might be killing creativity’ and discovered some shocking truths:
That in the last ten years there been a relentless focus on academic achievement based on rote learning and testing of, sometimes irrelevant, knowledge which is great for some young people but alienates, even breaks, many others
That vocational options which allow young people access to real jobs they would be perfect for and wanted to do, have been downgraded and that schools are actively discouraged from teaching the skills businesses need
A survey by the World Economic Forum in 2016 showed the skills most demanded by employers were Problem solving, Critical thinking and Creativity
Yet the obsession with literacy and numeracy in Primary schools and teaching for the tests, SATs has seen project work and creative subjects completely removed from many schools
In 2018 the BBC and the Head Teachers Union ASCL found that 9 in 10 UK schools had cut arts and creative subjects. Mental health of students and teacher was at an all time high, with teacher work load, staff turnover and funding all contributing to an #EducationCrisis
There has been a systematic and deliberately divisive campaign by mysteriously funded ‘grass roots’ organisations and lobby groups to undermine and almost abolish creativity and the arts in schools, discredit its advocates and bread a feeling of distrust in teachers, evident by the current refusal to award exam results based on teacher assessment. Moreover, a lot of thsi linsk back to the ‘Leave’ Campaign, which regardless of your views on Brexit must seem odd, no?
More on all this here but be careful going down this rabbit hole, it really will shock you.
The Social Mobility Myth
Education is seen as a chance for all to better themselves, but has and always will prioritise the many young people who have a head start through birth or bank balance.
Some people see this so called opportunity for 'social mobility' as a myth because with jobs disappearing, it's simply not worth wasting tax payers money educating young people for jobs that won't exist.
Some people, like eugenicists, feel that some people by virtue of their birth, race or socio-economic background simply aren't worth educating beyond a very basic level, of literacy and numeracy.
Some people feel we can get all the top academics and chart topping creatives we need from private and grammar schools with a a few high flyers from state schools.
That only really makes sense IF you ONLY see the point of school being to educate young people to work in industries that are dying and you don't have the vision for a new economy and society
Our current education system was completely redesigned ten years ago by Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings.
Many feel it has led to both the #EducationCrisis mentioned above, that threatens us all whether or not we have kids or work in schools, and a #CreativityCrisis, that particularly threatens the economy via the Creative Industries which are responsible for over £130bn of UK GDP employing millions.
Messrs Gove and Cummings have since been actively involved in what many see, regardless of the side they were on, as a #DemocracyCrisis through the misuse of algorithms and false claims, lies even.
Given the centralisation of power in Whitehall under Dominic Cummings, it is hard to believe that he wasn't involved in the algorithm behind the Great Exam Results Robbery.
But he has already proven to be indestructible, there is too much power and vested interest behind him and anyway, if he left the Prime Minister really would have to work very hard.
No, the person who must go now is the only minister who has had influence for the last ten year whcih is why I demand that
#GibbMustGo