The problems with Kent's academy schools

Letter to the Kent on Sunday in response to their front page story yesterday:

Dear Sir,

So more evidence on the problems of taking education away from local government and privatising it in the form of academies in last week's KoS. Just like Labour before it, the Tory - Lib Dem coalition seem to think that the private sector have all the answers. At a very basic level we all know the real reason that some schools were struggling - a lack of investment in them by sucessive governments.

Labour's plan to turn failing schools into academies was the thin end of the wedge for privatising our education system and it is hardly a surprise that the Conservatives and Lib Dems, who are ideologically in love with the free market, want to complete the job.

Taking schools out of the state system is not just more expensive in the long run and not just damaging to those left under government contol, it fails the democratic test. Accountability for education must remain with elected representatives - it is too important to hand to private companies.

Yours faithfully

Stuart Jeffery