With politicians, inspectors and parents constantly telling them what to do, it may not often feel that way, but teachers are among the most trusted professionals in the country, a new poll reveals.
An overwhelming 88 per cent of the public trusts teachers to tell the truth, the Ipsos-Mori poll reveals.
This is ahead of every other profession in the country, apart from nurses and doctors, who are trusted by 93 per cent and 91 per cent of the public, respectively.
Teachers are even more trusted than judges and scientists, who score 81 and 80 per cent on the scale of truthfulness.
And the people whose whims teachers are often forced to serve - politicians - are the opposite end of the scale. Fewer people - 15 per cent - trust politicians than any other profession. Government ministers are trusted by 20 per cent of the public, putting them in second-to-last place.
Voices of trustworthiness
The poll was commissioned by parenting website Mumsnet. Justine Roberts, Mumsnet CEO, said that politicians’ low standing in the truthfulness tables may be an occupational hazard. “It’s difficult to be straightforward, honest and transparent - key components of trust - while simultaneously toeing the party line,” she said.
Teachers, meanwhile, are more trusted than the police, the clergy and those voices of trustworthiness, television news readers.
But, before the teaching staff of England starts celebrating its newfound status, it is worth bearing this is mind: only 49 per cent of the population trusts what pollsters have to say.
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