Prime Time performance

I have recieved genarally positive feedback from my appearance last Thursday on Prime Time in a report on Educational Disadvantage. When you deal with issues of disadvantage every day, it can sometimes surprize you that not everyone is completely au fait with the challanges that face working class children but I was delighted to get the opportunity to discuss my views on such a well-regarded political programme.
The interview itself took place on Tuesday - two days before the show - so I was impressed that the finished product could be compiled so quickly. I was also grateful that they used quite a bit of my interview in their piece as often you can be restricted to one or two lines depending on the validity of your arguements.
Essentially we have a crisis in many of our schools in terms of school building standards, access to assessments, special needs cuts in small disadvantaged schools and a generally under-resourced education system compared to our European neighbours. You always have to strike a balance with these interviews - its important to point out the injustices but you have to safeguard the local positive attitude towards your own school. I've been critised in the past for 'running down' certain areas of the inner-city when talking about issues of social disadvantage.
Naturally enough Hanafin managed to bluster her way through the studio discussion with out addressing any of the points raised in the report.
Its cratifying to hear positve feedback from the interview - what good it will do for children who are heading back to disadvantaged schools this week remains to be seen.