THEY batttled against politically-incorrect jokes, faith schools and even their own new general secretary.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers finished the Easter conference season with a flourish.

Having slapped down Eammon O’Kane, their leader, over union mergers, they got nervous about looking like the National Union of Teachers in a debate on Gibraltar, and made a stand in favour of a secular education system.

Pay and conditions figured large: delegates attacked “bullying” sickness-monitoring policies and the underfunding of pay increases for senior teachers (see page 4). The union also pledged to safeguard their members if schools use new powers to opt out of national pay agreements.

A motion opposing the creation of more faith schools, amended in favour of a move towards a “totally secular education system”, was won on a card vote (66,461 to 51,300).

Speakers from Northern Ireland and Singapore drew from their own experiences of segregated education to argue against separating pupils on religious grounds.

Others noted parents were often more concerned about exam results than the faith basis of a school - resulting in Damascene conversions to gain admission to high-performing church schools.

Emmanuel College, the city technology college accused of promoting creationism, had single-handedly made the case for the motion, said Andy Mulley from Southampton.

The move was welcomed by the National Secular Society, but Canon John Hall, general secretary for the Church of England’s board of education, said: “We are committed to church schools being inclusive as well as distinctly Christian, and that means representing the whole community.”

Mr O’Kane insisted there was no question of the union supporting the abolition of faith schools.

He said: “That vote reflected widespread unease among all teachers at the encouragement the Government, and particularly the Prime Minister, seems to be giving to more faith schools.”

Ministers want schools with good exam results to “earn autonomy” over pay, conditions and the curriculum. But delegates warned that some heads were already abusing their existing powers and voted for strike action where members were threatened.

Annette Parker, from the Peak District, added: “Some heads already feel incredibly secure in their position of power.

“Some bullying heads behave appallingly to members and rule through intimidation, manipulation and fear. I dread to think what they could do if pay and conditions were deregulated still further.”

The conference endorsed support for members in Gibraltar, who are worried about the Government’s discussions with Spain over the future of the Rock. But many were concerned that the union was straying too far into international politics.

The NUT received flak after executive member Bernard Regan said he could understand the Palestinian suicide bombers.