Some teachers literally laughed in the education secretary’s face

Teachers manage rambunctious classes: the best ones can quiet heckling brats with just a look. Education secretary Nicky Morgan would not make a great teacher.

While delivering a speech at a teachers’ conference, Morgan was shouted down by the assembled teachers. At one point, they yell “rubbish” at her.

She points out that she doesn’t think they’re doing very good PR for their profession. “I visited the NASUWT website, and found that of the last 20 press releases issued, only three said something positive! Wouldn’t it be more helpful if your press releases were actually positive?” she asks.

The teachers actually lose it at this point, and her voice rises a little, impotent and frustrated. I bet the guy around the 20 second mark – with that brash, honking laugh – is a massive laugh in double Maths.

Morgan continues, suggesting that young people might not feel inspired to become teachers. Again, the teachers absolutely lose it. They yell things at her. She looks put-off.

“You are the best people to sell this as a profession,” she offers, then continues to point out that that reading about a profession on the “precipice of a crisis” will not inspire others. The teachers clap. They’re really good at this. At some point, someone yells “get off”.

“You’re applauding against your own profession!” she says, in disbelief. “Talk of a crisis doesn’t tell the whole story,” she blusters.

At another point in the speech, Morgan explains there is no plan to go back on the government’s plans to turn every school into an academy by 2020. She’d better hope there are still some teachers around to heckle her by then.