Quakers and academies
Contemporary Quakerism, Nick Tyldesley argues, needs some radical thinking
The philosophical arguments for educational academies are based around a belief in libertarianism. Schools should have the right to construct their own curriculum, to have some freedom of intake, to establish their own conditions of service for staff and to be flexible about the working day. Control from central, and especially local, government is seen as restrictive. It resonates with the stereotype of the old Soviet planned economy. Bringing in sponsors from industry and commerce connects education with society’s demands for a skilled workforce. Free schools give parents’ a direct input into their children’s education and offer a model that is more creative than that of the monolithic local authority, and, in a time of austerity, private funding can address the financial shortfalls of the contribution from taxpayers. So, what’s not to like?
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