Ruth Kelly's 'low-level' idea

New Labour's big new initiative for education seems to be to stop children being naughty.

Not content with draconian measures to prevent anti-social behaviour more generally, UK education secretary Ruth Kelly is announcing plans to crackdown on 'low level misbehaviour' in the classroom too. Apparently, this regular, minor type of disruption is playing havoc with children's education. Talking on BBC Breakfast News, Kelly gave the example of using mobile phones and text messaging in the classroom as the 'sort of behaviour that disrupts the learning not just of the child who is showing poor behaviour but also of the other children in the schools'.

So in order to raise standards, the government will propose new schemes to micromanage the way that kids behave. But good discipline can't be imposed from on high by the secretary of state. It comes from teachers and children knowing why they are there, what their relationship is, and where the line of unacceptable behaviour lies.

Children, for the most part, do not need heavy-handed discipline if they are properly engaged in class - and a good education will certainly engage them. Unfortunately, our schools are fast becoming a demoralising mixture of social control and meeting targets at all costs. By making school a stimulating and rewarding experience, where teachers are properly accorded authority and autonomy, the government could give kids a reason to shut up and pay attention.

New moves on classroom disruption, BBC News, 1 February 2005