Save Our Schools (SOS) Brighton & Hove is today launching a citywide callout to teachers and parents to share their stories revealing the true cost of underfunding in the school system. Watch our film about the impact of cuts and why it is important to speak out about them.
We have already unearthed stories of sick teachers not being replaced by qualified staff; experienced teachers priced out of the classroom in favour of staff on lower pay grades; and of the parents of a child suffering from debilitating anxiety who were told he is not high need enough to access much reduced counsellor provision. Many more stories are expected to emerge over the coming weeks and months, read them here and share your own story.
#CutsTheRealStories comes in response to the discovery that teachers are caught in a Catch 22 situation when faced with the decision about speaking out or staying quiet about the state of their schools as a result of crippling funding cuts.
Last year we conducted a survey of 50 schools across Brighton & Hove to find out how they were coping with the cuts. You can see the results in the Catalogue of the Cuts . The findings completely contradicted Government rhetoric claiming that schools were better funded than ever, yet when Save Our Schools asked Headteachers to comment they found many were too afraid to speak out about for fear of reprisal.
Save Our Schools are encouraging anyone who has a story to tell about the impact of the cuts to speak out – whether anonymously or not.
The only way the Government will acknowledge the extent of the crisis is by schools, parents and pupils speaking out and sharing the stories that the Government doesn’t want us to hear. Share your story now.
#CutsTheRealStories #saveourschools