At the chalkface
News
Assuaging the guilt
I’m standing on the corner of a rage. I feel even dizzier and not
Cambridge quadrangle. Spires a little faint. I seem to see figures
School bids to
dream in mists and shades fall in the mist. Hooded wraiths like
on lush greenswards. I must not mad monks with pale and concave
step upon this grass. Only Very faces. Goth girls with pallid brows.
Learned Fellows are permitted Tough boys with long dreadlocks.
to do that. Portly, florid fellows They flit like phantoms through
tempt Bansky
who resemble capons in black the porter’s lodge or hang like
gowns. We commoners merely gargoyles off ivy walls. They tres-
trespass. I’m talking to a female pass like commoners and frolic on
Fellow about Oxbridge entrance greenswards and mock the florid
by Chris Parr
of Building Schools for the Future
work, and staff and students set
and state schools. We capons and sit grinning about brightening up the dividing
discuss our different at High Tables and Most headteachers would shudder wall with a piece of their own
roles. My inner city perch illiterate in plush at the thought of a graffiti artist graffiti work.
streets and her Shades libraries. Who are they? sneaking into the playground in Ms McVittie said: “The students
of Academe. Different These transgressors. the dead of night to leave their tag worked on the first part of their graf-
worlds. Different These Jude the Obscures? scrawled across the school’s walls. fiti wall before the summer. This
literacies. Perhaps we These alien shades in But Joan McVittie, principal at term they hope to continue with
could sometimes swap? I Shades of Academe? Ah! Woodside High School in north this work and completely cover
could have a go here. She Ha! These are the ghosts of London, is hoping for just such an the hoardings which separate them
could have a go in the your ghettos. The ghosts of occurrence. from the building site.
inner city. Tower Hamlets. The ghosts Ms McVittie has issued a “come “As a school, we have been
“I’ve always wanted of Ladbroke Grove. Your and get us” plea to Banksy, the trying to work out how to make
to!” she confesses. “But worst nightmare. Your guilt reclusive street artist who leaves contact with Banksy to see if he
I couldn’t assuage my on legs. Or is it mine? Look! his artwork on buildings across the would sneak in at night and provide
guilt in Tower Hamlets!” There’s the dread Dave Mania. world, urging him to come and a model of his work to really excite
I gulp. I look at a dream- The screaming Decibelle. The leave his mark on her school. the whole school community.
ing spire. I feel dizzy. Does she zonked Shaka. And there’s the The ambitious invitation has “Although we have a ban on
think I’m doing my pupils a hugely clever Lily, who should come about after a graffiti project hoodies, we have all agreed that
favour? be your open scholar and never in school inspired and engaged stu- we could make an exception in this
“Good morning class! Please will be. She sits in libraries she will dents and teachers alike, who have case!”
sit down and allow me to assuage never know and waves through lat- already entered into the spirit in a She added that anyone who
a little guilt on you.” tice windows. They are all that you bid to attract the secretive graffiti knew how to make contact with
Never. It’s the only place to be. deny. They’re assuaging their rage. artist. the mysterious artist should point
I like it. Yes, sometimes it’s tough. Mine too. It all started when builders sec- him in the direction of Woodside Tag:WoodsideHighstudentsandteacherDanielWoods
Yes, sometimes I’m useless. And “Can you see them?” tioned off part of the school because High. (seenaboveandbelowleft)workonthegraffitiwall
sometimes I’d like to bequeath the “No!” say the florid capons.
odd lecture to snoozing students “Can you hear them?”
rather than to the wired Sidney “No!” says the female Fellow.
Lunk. But dull it isn’t. Not as dull They never do. They never will.
as the etiolated musings of those
fat fellows over there. Aren’t they • Ian Whitwham is a former
meant to be taking more cogni- teacher. A collection of his best
sance of my benighted crew? To columns, At the Chalkface: Great
be exercising a little more of that Moments in Education, is out
modish inclusivity? Assuaging a now priced £8.99 from Hopscotch
bit of guilt? I must assuage my Books. Order on 01722 717022.
20 SecEd • September 24 2009
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