During an interview on BBC Newsnight, former Ofsted chief Michael Wilshaw suggested that teachers should be prepared to sacrifice their lives to help close the educational attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, that has widened as a result of school closures.
Wilshaw told Emily Maitlis:
You have to compare this with the medical emergency over the last year and the commitment on the part of medical professionals, and nurses, and doctors. They’ve gone the extra mile at great cost to themselves, and their families, their health – they have sacrificed their lives in some cases. We need a similar commitment by the teaching profession over the next academic year.
General secretary of the National Education Union Mary Bousted was quick to rebut Wilshaw’s comments, saying:
Teachers have already gone way above the extra mile.
Edu Twitter lashes out
Educators took to Twitter to express their confusion, shock, and anger at Wilshaw’s absurd comments. Creative Youth charity chair Robin Hutchinson had one thing to say:
Well you'll forgive me when I say 'f**k off' The former head of Ofsted has said that teachers need to show a “similar commitment” to medical professionals, who in some cases have “sacrificed their lives.” https://t.co/0pEZwXK4sj
— Robin Hutchinson MBE (@LordScroley) February 27, 2021
Berinsfield councillor Robin Bennett expressed his utter disbelief at Wilshaw’s comments, saying:
Yes, this is the former head of Ofsted telling teachers to be willing to 'sacrifice their lives'! https://t.co/BEKDfQOLIS
— Robin Bennett (@robinfbennett) February 26, 2021
Simon Gosden called Wilshaw’s comments “unbelievable garbage”:
Unbelievable garbage from Wilshaw
Doctors "have lost their lives in some cases, we need a similar commitment from the teaching profession" – Wilshaw, ex head of Ofsted
— Simon Gosden. Esq. #fbpe 3.5% 🇪🇺🐟🇬🇧🏴☠️🦠💙 (@g_gosden) February 26, 2021
And Saima Ferdows simply responded with:
https://twitter.com/SaimaFerdows/status/1365272011304538112
Another user responded with this tongue-in-cheek comment:
can we sacrifice the ex-head of Ofsted to save the teachers https://t.co/XeUzuEszxf
— Sarah 🚩 #WearAMaskYouStupidBastards (@sazmeister88) February 26, 2021
And Emma Bell had some strong words for Wilshaw:
Ex Ofsted head should be prepared to go fuck himself sideways https://t.co/R5S5TpvC1c
— 💙Emma💙 (@EmmaBell1889) February 26, 2021
Healthcare workers are dying, so should teachers?
Let’s not forget that UK healthcare workers only died in such high numbers because of colossal and avoidable government failures. They didn’t take too kindly to being ‘sacrificed’ by an incompetent government either. Retired lawyer Fionna O’Leary expressed her shock at Wilshaw’s comments, adding that neither teachers’ nor healthcare workers’ lives should be at risk due to a lack of protection:
Pretty shocked to hear @SirM_Wilshaw suggesting such grossly negligent action.
Medical staff and carers should never have been put into a situation where they were inadequately protected and NOR SHOULD TEACHERS.
He was the head of @OFsted ⁉️ https://t.co/l3Af0vJnhs
— Fionna O'Leary, 🕯🇪🇺 (@fascinatorfun) February 27, 2021
One Twitter user highlighted just how “scary” Wilshaw‘s comments are:
Is anyone else finding the 'teachers should risk death' thing properly scary? Seriously, how did we get here. Things are very VERY wrong in this country. My friends in other countries are horrified!
— estrellasadie (commissions open) (@estrellasadie) February 26, 2021
Robert Lindsay highlighted the flawed logic in Wilshaw’s comments, saying:
Doctors have died, now we need teachers to die too, says retired Ofsted bloke from the safety of his home. https://t.co/q0M6kE8TTl
— Robert Lindsay 🍃💚🍃 (@robjlinds) February 27, 2021
Another user added:
"Not enough teachers are dead yet" says the head of Ofsted.
Perfectly normal country. https://t.co/ZilHEtIUOV
— The Seagull Has Landed (@Red__Tim) February 26, 2021
Ofsted’s double standards
Primary school teacher and Southwark councillor James McAsh praised Mary Bousted’s sturdy rebuttal, adding “it’s no wonder Ofsted is hated”:
Doctors "have lost their lives in some cases, we need a similar commitment from the teaching profession" – Wilshaw, ex head of Ofsted
With lines like that, it's no wonder Ofsted is hated!
Thankfully we have people like @MaryBoustedNEU to put them rightpic.twitter.com/0O6MDDgcfv
— James McAsh (@mcash) February 25, 2021
Jen spoke out against the double standards inherent in expecting teachers to sacrifice their lives while deeming schools unsafe for Ofsted inspectors to visit:
Yet, Ofsted deemed schools too unsafe for their inspectors to visit. This constant demonisation of teachers won't end well.
Teachers should be prepared to ‘sacrifice their lives’, says ex-Ofsted head https://t.co/J76rEFsS3h
— Jen #JoinAUnion (@JennyN68) February 26, 2021
Another user seconded this sentiment:
Oh? Teachers should go in without protection, while Ofsted inspectors refuse to go anywhere near a school due to the risk it poses to them?
Ofsted & govt ministers should spend a few weeks volunteering as classroom assistants then go home to granny if they're so sure it's all OK
— An IT Guy (@an_it_guy_in_uk) February 26, 2021
As did someone else:
Ofsted inspectors won’t visit schools for health and safety reasons. Nuff said. These people are despicable. No teacher asked to be locked down and all teachers have put their lives on the line since the beginning. I see the right wing mud slinging at teachers now in full flow.
— Isobel Oakeshitt (@isobeloakeshitt) February 26, 2021
Some alternatives to killing off teachers
Educators took to Twitter to share some viable alternatives to asking Britain’s teachers to ‘sacrifice their lives’. Education lecturer Daryn Egan-Simon that “teachers have been sacrificing their lives for years” and it’s time for the government to step up and invest in children’s services so that teachers can actually get on with teaching:
Teachers have been sacrificing their lives for years. What they really need now is for the government to invest heavily in wider children’s services so they can focus on their actual teaching. https://t.co/PJA1P8aWYB
— Daryn Egan-Simon (@darynsimon) February 27, 2021
Wilshaw’s comments are utterly absurd and out of touch. Teachers have been working through the pandemic to provide the best education they can with insufficient resources and protection. The government now intends to reopen underfunded schools without vaccinating teachers or providing sufficient extra support. The government is wholly responsible for the widening attainment gap – not teachers.
Featured image via National Education Union/YouTube
