By an Oxford school governor WHEN THE TORIES introduced Local Management of Schools (LMS) they unwittingly set up thousands of pressure groups which are now fighting back against cuts.
Governing bodies comprise a mix of parent governors (parents of children attending the school now), teacher governors (teachers at the school), county council nominees (nominated by the political parties) and co-opted governors (representatives of local business and some from the local community).
Unpaid
All governors are part-time, unpaid, volunteers, with none of the quango payments which enauthorities and NHS Trusts.
The majority of governors are people who are committed to good education and/or their local community. But Tory cuts now call on them to make the most devastating cuts and to destroy the service they have voluntarily defended and worked for.
That's why governors are now revolting. Strange amalgamations of Tory, Labour, Liberal governors along with the parents, teachers. business and community representatives from all types of school are banding together to say NO. We will not make teachers redundant, we will not agree to class sizes of over 30, we refuse to have inadequate equipment and not enough books, we will not devastate the special needs support.
BUT - what can governors actually do?
There has been a lot of publicity given to the governing bodies ing to set a deficit budget, spending above the limit imposed upon them. In Warwickshire alone over 90 schools have taken this stand.
Unfortunately the next move shows the hollowness of the power given to the governors: the LEA can simply remove the right of delegation' from over-spending governors - and instruct the head teacher to set a balanced budget, making teachers redundant as necessary.
Trap
Setting a deficit budget is still a very strong move by the governors, and more governing bodies asked to take the same stand. But we must not fall into the trap of thinking this action alone will prevent the cuts.
A much more systematic fight is needed, involving teachers, parents, school students and the local community. governing bodies resigning. This is very tempting, since very few governors want to have anything to do with making cuts.
But after mass resignation there would not even be a hiatus waiting for re-elections or nominations: the LEA would simply tell the head teacher to get on with the cuts.
The power of the governors rests in their willingness to implement LMS. If they stand firm and say NO, their power is simply taken away.
Looking for other ways out, the governing bodies have become the focus for campaign groups setting up all over the country to demonstrate, lobby, write letters, send faxes, issue press releases and generally campaign to defend education against the Tory cuts.
We have seen the start of a massive action against this government, which may not be from the traditional activists but may The individual campaigns have now got together to form a national group called Fighting Against Cuts in Education (FACE) which was launched at a 100strong meeting in Rugby on February 11.
Those present were mainly parents and governors, with a few teachers, spanning areas from Devon to Sheffield, with politics from dissident Tories to the SWP.
A national steering committee has now been formed to help coordinate the campaign, and FACE is organising a National Demonstration for Saturday March 25 in London.
It will link up parents, governors, teachers and school kids in a show of strength.
Be there to defend the future of education! • Contact FACE on 0598789104 or 0926-410930
STAD SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 78. 25 February 1995, Page 3.