THE mounting campaign in schools against publication of primary league tables was backed today by the biggest classroom union, the National of Teachers.

But, really, the teachers need a lesson in honesty.

To begin with, the bid by both head teachers' leaders and the N.U.T. to get school governors to block publication of the tables by withholding the results of the national tests set by 11-year-olds last week is immoral.

They are asking the governors to shirk their public duty and break the law.

Just what kind of example is that for the pupils?

It is really teachers preaching disobedience.

And this at a time when among their many moans is the widespread one about the menace of disruptive, disobedient pupils!

What hypocrites!

But, besides this, they forget for whom they work and by whom they are paid - the public.

It is in their name that the testing system and league tables - flawed, unfair or otherwise - has been lawfully enacted and it is to them that the teachers are accountable.

That they do not like being tested by the tests and judged by the results is evident.

But to deny the principle of the public's right to know is as dishonest as their bid today to get the governors to help them with a cover-up.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.