Poison Tree

Today the Daily Mail published a front page that dripped poison into our common life.  

It sank to a depth of hate that has not been seen since it was cheerleader for Oswald Mosely and Herr Hitler.

It suggested that the Teaching Unions were preventing Teachers from re-opening schools, it made a false plea to “Let Teacher be Heroes.   There was a real sense of  “Let them risk their lives for once”  

Schools have been open for this whole period of lockdown; teachers have been caring for children of key workers ie the children at most risk of exposure to the virus, and vulnerable children.  

Teachers have been delivering free school meals, personally ringing round the families of children in their schools, producing work that can be done at home, helping parent  home school,  fighting the bureaucratic systems  that government put  to support the most vulnerable children in our society,  working more hours than before.   

Please note I am not a teacher but I am a school governor and am therefore speaking with some knowledge   

I make this plea – please stop buying the Daily Mail - try and stop your family and friends from buying it.   In doing so we can silence one loud voice of hate that will try to drag us back to the broken society we were before.   

Poison Tree

Shadow over the face of the earth,

The familiar becomes a strange place

The wonder of our world seems changed

Poison seeps from the hearts of some

The goodness of so many, caring for friend and neighbour

Day to day courage of carers, all the hospital workers

Shopworkers, posties, teachers, council staff

Are stained by the hate that still hangs around  

The world has changed, we look out for our neighbours, our families

We value those who once we overlooked

We are all in this together

Do not allow the poison trees to stain our hope

We cannot return to a world of isolated lives 

disconnected, disjointed and careless

We are one people, in one world, one heart of love 

beats in each of us. Love drives out hate.