We’ll block Theresa’s grammar revolution, warn the luvvie elite
A WEALTHY liberal elite yesterday pledged to sabotage Theresa May’s plans for new grammar schools.
The writers and campaigners vowed to do all they could to block any new law allowing more selective schools.
They are appealing for money via crowdfunding site Just Giving to ‘fight’ the proposal by lobbying politicians and ‘raising awareness’ among families.
Melissa Benn, the well-heeled daughter of late hard-left politician Tony Benn, is leading the funding campaign for Comprehensive Future and claims grammars cause ‘anxiety for parents’.
She is being supported by socialist children’s author Michael Rosen, who attended a grammar school, and fellow writer Michael Morpurgo.
The War Horse author has previously spoken of his pain at failing the 11-plus and not being allowed to go to a selective school.
However, his parents were wealthy enough to send him to board at the elite King’s School in Canterbury.
The campaign wants a new Tory government to abandon plans to create the first wave of grammars in decades.
‘Activists claim asking children to take an exam at 11 causes unnecessary stress, divides pupils from their friends and harms those who do not pass.
But questions will be raised over their credentials as many leading figures in Comprehensive Future benefitted from grammars or attended elite private schools.
One patron is Green MP Caroline Lucas, who attended a private school in Malvern, Worcestershire.
Member Fiona Millar, partner of former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell and journalist at The Guardian, went to a grammar school in North London.
Journalist Miss Benn appealed for public donations to help block more children from taking the ‘stressful,
‘More failures than successes’
life- defining, tests’. She declared: ‘We are appealing for funds to raise public and political awareness about what exactly the proposals mean for schools and families.
‘ More selective schools mean unnecessary anxiety for parents, young people and teachers when all the evidence shows that wellfunded, high-quality comprehensive education works for all.’
Mr Morpurgo added: ‘The 11-plus exam creates many more failures than successes. I was one of them.
‘The test has set back the selfesteem and prospects of millions of us and many have not recovered from it. It has created the us and them, the have and have-not society that still persists today.’
A statement on the campaign’s fundraising page reads: ‘Don’t let our children face the 11-plus and a secondary school divide.
‘If the Government expands selective education, it will subject thousands of children to stressful tests and divide our education system in a hugely damaging way.
‘Children are more likely to succeed when they are taught together in high- quality all-ability schools. Comprehensive education works and we need to protect it.’
Other supporters include playwright Stella Duffy, singer Billy Bragg, actress Maxine Peake and Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers.
Comprehensive Future was set up in 2003 to push for the end of all selective tests. The Prime Minister’s drive for new grammars will need a new law to overturn a ban imposed by Labour in 1998.