Report promotes national service for the poor, says NASUWT
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
2:14 PM
Commenting on the Report Military Academies - Tacking Disadvantage, Improving Ethos and Outcomes and Revitalising our Armed Forces, produced by the think tank, ResPublica, which calls for academies run by the military to be set up in areas of deprivation, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union, said:
"The Report is based on a cynical misuse and misrepresentation of the causes of the riots in the summer.
"There is no evidence of either the widespread involvement of people from deprived, working class communities in the riots or that they instigated them.
"The proposal amounts to nothing more than the disgraceful, unjustified vilification of whole communities, promulgating the view that if you are poor and working class you must, therefore, be inclined to criminality and anti-social behaviour.
"Like the many of those in Government, ResPublica appears to have no understanding of the complex and deep rooted causes of poverty and the issues which led to the riots.
"ResPublica's proposals amount to nothing more than a crude simulation of army life through, what is in effect, national service for the poor.
"The answer lies not in this Report but in the abandonment of the fundamentally flawed economic and social policies of this Government which are disempowering, alienating and disenfranchising young people.”
Disclaimer: Press releases published on this page are from key opinion formers
who promote their organisation's activities by subscribing to a campaign site within
politics.co.uk. politics.co.uk does not endorse, edit, or attempt to balance the
opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases are wholly the responsibility
of the originating company or organisation.
Troubled families targeted after last year's riots only had a "limited" impact on disorder, a government-commissioned report has found.
David Cameron's promised fight-back to restore order to England's cities already seemed in danger of fracturing today.
Let's be clear: we have seen a glimpse of the breakdown of society. We are fighting the idea that might is right.
Britain could face more "social disturbance and dislocation" if Westminster parties continue to ignore the views of ordinary people, the director of the People's Pledge campaign has told politics.co.uk.
The summer's rioting were more politically based than ministers claimed at the time, extensive research out today has revealed.
Local Government Association chairman Sir Merrick Cockell comments on David Cameron's bid to intervene in the lives of the UK's 120,000 most troubled families
Police should be given the power to apply for internet videos glamorising knife crime and gang culture to be removed, a Labour MP has said.
A team of Whitehall-controlled officials are to find and then intervene in the lives of Britain's most troubled families, David Cameron has announced.
Prime minister David Cameron unveils plans to introduce 'troubleshooters' to tackle the UK's 120,000 troubled families
Here's the top ten articles which attracted the biggest reactions on Facebook and Twitter.
Newsletter sign up