Conservative Party Conference: Michael Gove speech

Conservative Party Conference: Michael Gove speech; Gove speech SOT- That is why we have already passed legislation - the Academies Act - in our first 100 days, which allows under-performing schools to be taken over and turned round without delay. That is why, in particular, we will target those schools where discipline is unacceptably poor and get heads in place who have the authority to make a difference. And that is why we are going to devote more money, the best teachers and all the energy we possess to transforming all our poorest schools. Because this radical, reforming, coalition Government has declared war on educational inequality and we won't stop until every child is taught in a school driven by a culture of ambition, aspiration and achievement. We will take radical action to deal with those schools with the worst discipline problems. And we have already taken action to give every head and every teacher new powers to ensure better behaviour in all our schools. Because we need to be clear, teachers have to be respected again. Which is why we will give heads a new power to punish school students who misbehave when they're on their way to, or from school. At the moment many heads are prevented from dealing with their pupils if they run wild in a shopping mall or behave anti-socially in town centres. So we will change the rules to send one clear and consistent message. Heads will have the freedom they need to keep pupils in line, any time, any place, anywhere. Under the last Government's approach to discipline, heads and teachers lived in fear of breaking the rules while troublemaking students felt the law was on their side. That is completely the wrong way round. We have to stop treating adults like children and children like adults. Under this Government we will ensure that the balance of power in the classroom changes – and teachers are back in charge. Teachers shouldn't just be in charge when it comes to discipline and behaviour, they should also b...