ATL

ATL Conference 2008

There was a chock-a-block agenda on Tuesday 18 March at the ATL Conference, with an address by Julia Neal, President of ATL, and many powerful resolutions vying to be heard.

A common theme running through the sessions was mental health, both of teachers and pupils. Several members gave intensely personal speeches about their experiences of stress, dealing with a heavy workload and bullying.

The health and safety of teachers and lecturers at work was called into question in resolutions focusing on asbestos in schools, the dangers of manual handling and the appalling state of some school and college buildings. Deep concern was also expressed by delegates about the increasing number of suicides among students related to academic, social and peer pressure.

But perhaps the most surprising resolution of the day was one that focused on the Beckhams! Conference listened to impassioned speeches on the cult of celebrity and what was referred to as 'celebrity worship syndrome', from which many students seem to be suffering.

In the spirited debate that followed some delegates argued against the resolution, suggesting that the promotion of ordinariness was no better. The media came in for the most criticism, with one member challenging delegates to consider who is most important in society today - Gordon Brown or Rupert Murdoch?