EDUCATION FOR THE GOOD SOCIETY - Support

and unsustainable consumerist society in whichwe presently live, or it can begin to reflect thethinking of a future condition in which sustainabilityin all its senses becomes a guiding principleTurning ideals into a sense of commonpurposeViewed historically, as we stated at the beginningof the book, the last 30 years have not been allbad. They represent a fine balance of improvementsin resourcing and formal achievementsoffset by entrenched inequalities and a loss ofoptimism. This has created a static equilibriumand a feeling of being stuck. We have a longway to go to create a sense of direction in whicheducation as a national and unifying public idealcould be held in the same reverence as the NHS.This book has focused on fundamentalpurposes, values, principles and lessons to belearned. At a time of political defeat we argued inthe opening chapter for a return to consideringthe real purposes of education. In doing so wehave argued for the supremacy of a new (and yetold) set of educational and societal values.By way of a conclusion, I suggest that thenext stage of a long journey could begin by theswearing of an oath – a Hippocratic Oath forEducation – in which, for example, teachersdeclare their duty to all their students; institutionalleaders commit themselves to 100 per centof learners in their area; social partners promiseto support public education in whatever waythey can; and politicians vow to spread the poweraround so that a permanent, fairer and moredemocratic settlement could start to take shapein the English system. This would soon becomean act of common purpose.While ministers still seek to peddle conflict,a growing appetite for dialogue, agreement andcreatively seeking out solutions can be detected.Education is simply too important to be treatedin any other way and it is the democratic left,working in an open and pluralistic way, that hasto publicly say so.Education for the good society | 61