Editor's view

The debate on the future of classroom assistants is hotting up, as education secretary Estelle Morris ploughs on with her proposals to enhance their role (see News, page 6). There appears to be backtracking on the notion that classroom assistants could supervise classes while the teacher gets on with planning, with Ms Morris keen to stress that assistants should not replace teachers. But what are we to make of her comment that 'if we can get other people to clean paint pots and tidy classrooms it will solve some problems and make teachers feel less pressured'? Is this a reference...