At the chalkface: Facts

That’s what really irks. Let me run some other brute facts by you, in no particular order. Refute them, if you can. 

Inequality rules. It’s bad for all of us. It’s getting worse. Poverty kills. It’s getting worse. Poor children do worse than rich children. “Rich, thick kids achieve more than poor, clever ones.” A bleeding heart lefty? No, the rigorous Mr Gove. Bad housing is bad for you. No housing is worse. Zero hour/no jobs are bad for you. It breaks up families and ruins children’s lives. No privacy and no books are bad for you. Closing libraries and playing fields and playgrounds are bad for you. It causes obesity, crime, depression and – strike me down with a feather – illiteracy. This is really bad for you. It can cause sadness and rage and often incarceration. Fact. If you can’t read by seven you’re doomed. Fact. Doomed children ruin classes. Fact. Estelle Morris is the only minister of education to have ever taught in a school. Fact. Why?