Press Release

We get the celebrities we deserve, says ATL General Secretary tells Oxford Union

27 November 2008

Speaking at the Oxford Union on Thursday 27 November on the theme 'With great celebrity comes great responsibility', Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:

"We asked our teacher members whether celebrity culture was having an impact on their pupils. There was a sharp divergence of opinion. Some expressed strong disapproval. One such respondent wrote: 'I think it encourages underage drinking and anti-social behaviour and most of the media focuses on many of the celebs' negative behaviours.'

"But other respondents bucked the stereotypical teacherly disapproval of modernity and considered that even the negative behaviours adopted by some celebs could promote interesting discussions of ethical behaviour.

"I do think that the cult of celebrity can have a corrosive impact on the body politic of the nation. I want to turn the spotlight on the proposition, that 'with great celebrity comes great responsibility' and ask do we allow our great celebrities to be greatly responsible?

"At present, we are the worst of all hypocrites. We say that we want our celebrities to behave well, but we delight in their distress and their downfall. We bolster their bad behaviour. We say we disapprove, we say we are disappointed, and then we go out and buy more magazines, more newspapers which sell because the celebrities we pretend to despise are plastered all over their front covers. And as long as we continue, through our viewing, our internet hits and our reading, to support this perversion, we will get the celebrities we deserve."

For further information please contact the ATL press office on 0207 782 1589 or visit our website www.atl.org.uk.

Note to editors:

1. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is an independent, registered trade union and professional association, representing approximately 160,000 teachers, headteachers, lecturers and support staff in maintained and independent nurseries, schools, sixth form, tertiary and further education colleges in the United Kingdom.

2. ATL exists to help members, as their careers develop, through first rate research, advice, information and legal advice.

3. ATL is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and Education International (EI). The union is a member of the Social Partnership – working with the UK Government, employers and other unions on education issues. ATL is not affiliated to any political party and seeks to work constructively with all the main political parties.

4. ATL conducted a survey of members on the cult of celebrity in March 2008. For copies of the press release and copies of Mary's speech to the Oxford Union, please call 0207 782 1589.