The power of language in politics has been talked about for centuries; its capacity to shape discourse, frame public opinion and create division is plain to see, particularly in the context of the forthcoming US presidential election.
Meanwhile, the new UK government’s campaign to “fix the foundations” of British society, born out of what it presents as 14 years of decline under Conservative stewardship, is a good example of how language can be used to develop a mandate for change.
But separating past from present to generate new narratives, and give impetus to societal transformation, is not without risk.
Take comments from England’s health secretary, Wes Streeting, who has been singled out by health chiefs for doing down the NHS when pressure on the system has never been more intense.
Responding to his claims that the NHS is “broken” and the state of maternity services a “cause for national shame”, people on health-service frontlines have called for more measured appraisal and warned of the risk to morale.
Streeting has defended his comments, arguing that it is essential to be honest about the scale of the challenge and avoid the risk of “killing the NHS with kindness”.
Telling it how it is?
George Orwell once said: ”The great enemy of clear language is insincerity.” So what is wrong with a minister telling it how it is?
In education, teachers and leaders have become accustomed to political provocation, often after exam results, publication of Programme for International Student Assessment scores and, somewhat inevitably, changes in government.
Indeed, everywhere in the UK, there is always a perception - peddled by some in the establishment - that pupils are underachieving, teachers aren’t doing enough and schools should aim higher.
“Raising standards” is a mantra sown by just about every education minister, but it’s laden with assumption that standards aren’t what they ought to be.
Missing from this, of course, is the recognition that school staff routinely go above and beyond. Those I know and work with are a genuine inspiration; sometimes battered and bruised, but pulling rabbits out of hats on a near daily basis. They do so against the backdrop of swingeing budget cuts, rising energy costs and fallout from the most significant health crisis in more than a century.
But don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story, as they say.
In Wales, as in the rest of the UK, teacher recruitment and retention is of serious concern, with demand far exceeding supply in subjects such as maths, science and modern foreign languages (which often results in teachers plugging holes in disciplines they are not qualified or comfortable in).
The challenges are magnified in Welsh-medium schools, where there is a scarcity of teachers and support staff who can speak Welsh confidently.
Pay, conditions and inflexible working are big issues, too, but to focus only on these things misses the more obvious point about the portrayal of teaching more generally.
Stream of ‘crisis’ narratives
In short, a steady stream of negative publicity - and a prevailing narrative that education in Wales (or anywhere else) is damaged or in some sort of “crisis” - will do nothing to reverse the trend in teaching applications, nor dissuade those on the verge of leaving the profession (there were more worrying signs of this in Scotland this week).
Language matters, and it’s important to acknowledge that what we say can have longstanding implications and create a reputational web that is difficult to untangle; we must avoid perpetuating our own doom loop.
Most in education will remember Michael Gove’s well-documented attack on ”The Blob”, Gavin Williamson’s astonishing leaked texts and Gillian Keegan’s rant about school buildings. In Wales, Leighton Andrews’ 2011 chastising of a “complacent” education system (during his time as education minister) still rankles with many who considered his scolding a false reflection of reality.
From the great orators to the shrewd roundtable negotiators, there is one thing that all parliamentary spokespersons have in common - the ability to bring people together or drive them further apart using the power of the spoken word. I would urge political leaders to be realistic, not defeatist, and give hope to those working on the sharp end of public services that better times lie ahead.
An above-inflation pay award, first announced in England and then matched in Wales, represents a step in the right direction - and is just reward for a workforce deserving of more appreciation.
Dr Gareth Evans is director of education policy at University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He writes in a personal capacity and tweets @garethdjevans
