From Glenn Rikowski, University of Central England, Birmingham, UK.

1. THE DEMISE OF COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION?

On Saturday 3rd February this year, over 200 teachers, lecturers and
education activists attended a conference on "Promoting Comprehensive
Education in the 21st Century: from nursery education through to post-16
provision". The speakers put forward a positive vision of comprehensive
education for the future, whilst being deeply aware of the challenges facing
education for social equality through comprehensive education for all. The
Conference was supported by many educational Left organisations.

On Monday 12th February, the New Labour Government produced its plans for
the termination of comprehensive education in this country. The Green Paper,
'Schools: Building on Success - raising standards, promoting diversity,
achieving results' (Department for Education and Employment, Cm. 5050,
available at: http://www.dfee.gov.uk/buildingonsuccess/pdf/schools.pdf), set
out these plans.

The stress in the Green Paper is on 'diversity' (read selection) and
developing choice. There will be specialist schools, more religious and
single faith schools, beacon schools and business schools. The notion of a
common schooling for all, governed by the principles of equality and social
justice has been absolutely terminated in the Green Paper.

Furthermore "Ministers want to change the law to allow the private sector
and other external sponsors to take over schools that fail" (The Guardian,
13th February, p.6). Business interests, therefore, have a stake in ensuring
that more and more schools in the public sector are perceived as "failing"
schools in order to expand their profit base.

The Green Paper is another step forward in the privatization of our schools.
Corporate capital will be let loose on compulsory schooling with fewer and
fewer barriers, controls and safeguards - in line with the World Trade
Organization's (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

Sensing opposition to the Green Paper, Tony Blair wrote an article for 'The
Times' newspaper on February 14th ('Our schools can only get better if they
are distinct', in 'The Times', 14th February, p.22). Blair warns that he
will not yield to debate or protest about his plans: " So however much
people resist these necessary changes, we will not be deflected.". On the
same page of 'The Times', Simon Jenkins argues that 'selection returns to
the classroom'.

On Saturday, 24th March (1-3pm) at Camden Town Hall in London (opposite St.
Pancras Station) an Open Meeting will be held to discuss and devise
strategies for organising against New Labour's plans for abolition of
comprehensive education. The meeting will be a catalyst for discussion on
how to build a broad, inclusive, united and vibrant campaign for
comprehensive education. So:

There is an alternative!
Defend the best of what exists!
Rethink and struggle for the principle of comprehensive education for the
21stC!

We are determined to continue to campaign for a school system which is:
well-funded;
publicly-run;
professionally-staffed;
inclusive;
accountable to a locally elected government;
committed to critical enquiry;
high standards for ALL; and
incorporates principles and practices making for social equality.

Contact address: Janet Holland, FHSS, South Bank University, 103 Borough
Road, London SE1 0AA. Or e-mail: [log in to unmask]


2. THE BATTLE IN SEATTLE: ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR EDUCATION

At the Conference of Socialist Economists 2000 I presented a paper on New
Labour's Knowledge Economy versus Critical Pedagogy: the Battle of Seattle
and its Significance for Education

Some sections of this paper were developed and additions made to result in a
new pamphlet called The Battle in Seattle: Its significance for education
(London: Tufnell Press). It costs £4.95 (+ £1 for outside UK), and can be
ordered from: Tufnell Press, 47 Dalmeny Road, London, N7 0DY. You can also
get details from the Tufnell Press web site, at:
http://www.tufnellpress.co.uk

Some issues addressed in the pamphlet - privatization of education, the WTO
agenda for education - are clearly pertinent to the campaign to save and
develop comprehensive education. Our schools must be protected from business
interests!

Comments on 'The Battle in Seattle: Its significance for education':

It's a wonderful outline of the new anti-capitalist activity... it pulls
together all aspects of changes to all levels of education, as it is drawn
into the profit business - and ever further away from wider concepts of
education - Caroline Benn, Hillcole Group of Radical Left Educators and
President of the Socialist Education Association.

This is essential reading for all those the world over who have been driven
to the margins of existence by forces of the current phase of capitalism -
globalisation - Shiraz Durrani, Information for Social Change.

Rikowski's seminal text is destined to become essential reading for
critical/radical educators and political activists, but it should be read by
everyone who is concerned with, and about, the future of education...
indeed, the future of humanity - Paula Allman, author of 'Critical Education
Against Global Capital: Karl Marx and Revolutionary Critical Education'.

Glenn Rikowski has produced a brilliant and I believe historic landmark in
Left education - Peter McLaren, UCLA, author of 'Che Guevara, Paulo Freire,
and the Pedagogy of Revolution'.

I felt compelled to grab the red flag and take to the street as I worked
through Glenn Rikowski's well documented expose of what the world Trade
Organisation is up to and its plans for education. But Glenn's analysis is
much more than a clarion call. It anchors that call in solid theory and
critique so that my immediate response can now be matched by informed and
focused action. An activist's true handbook - Helen Raduntz, University of
South Australia.


3. RED CHALK

Red Chalk: on schooling, capitalism and politics (2001, Brighton: Institute
for Education Policy Studies), by Dave Hill, Mike Cole, Peter McLaren and
Glenn Rikowski is a new booklet that discusses key issues for radical
educators and Marxist educational theorists today, e.g.:
Marxist educational theory
Class, 'Race' and Global Capital
Politics and the Labour Party
Postmodernism
The Third Way, Globalisation and Seattle
Key issues for teachers in state schools
Education Action Zones
Market Socialism and Education
Neo-Liberalism

Copes available from: The Institute for Education Policy Studies, 1,
Cumberland Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6SL, England.
£7 + 50p p&p (UK/EU)
£7 +£1.50 p&p (elsewhere, except USA)
$12 +$2 p+p (USA).

Contact: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 01273 270943
Fax: 01273 881335

web site soon available at: http://www.ieps.org.uk


Glenn Rikowski
Hillcole Group of Radical Left Educators
22nd February 2001