Left-wing bias has no place in schools

Toby Young’s article about how teachers are much more vocally Left-wing than they used to be gives many causes for concern.

For a start, spouting political opinion is a breeding ground for division and has no place in the classroom. It makes me wonder if, in schools, fair and open debate is tolerated.

By bringing one-sided politically fuelled agendas into school, we leave empathy at the door. Far Left or not, brainwashing in schools is far from OK. Kelly Davies, London The problem with teachers is that they are so self-righteous – a problem that runs through the public and charity sector. By opting for a career which they see themselves as ‘helping others’, they then seem to think they can do as they please, imposing their ideas on impressionable youngsters.

J. McLean, Manchester I remember figures from 1980 showing that the largest support among teachers was for the Conservative Party, while by 1990 this had moved to the Lib Dems. It would seem that over nearly 40 years, there has been a sustained shift to the Left. Might this be a reaction to a perceived anti-teacher stance by Conservative governments? David Smith, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire The teaching profession should be promoted more because children are in their care for about 13 years. Many spend more time with teachers than with their parents. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia I worry about our schools. A few years ago I worked for a local authority overseeing and maintaining our schools. The council employed experts to deal with all matters, from maintenance works to new projects, and help secure the money to do it. Due to cuts that has all but gone. These days the schools – and teachers – are on their own. Peter Mitchell, Weston-super-Mare