Devil's Game by Patricia Hall Read Free Book Online Page A

apparatchiks. They represent all the people who have a stake in the school, and the whole of the community we serve: local business, the minority ethnic groups, we even have the local vicar on board, plus parents, staff, students. That would all go. The governors would be appointed by the sponsor. But to be honest, if that were the only objection I don’t think I could carry the existing governors with me. They’d look at the plans for shiny new buildings, computers, laboratories and the rest and they’d go for it.’
    ‘So what’s the second objection?’ Laura asked.
    ‘David Murgatroyd,’ Debbie said. ‘The second objection is personal. This is a multi-ethnic school. We take most of the Muslim children from around Aysgarth Lane. Plus most of the white children from the Heights, and quite a lot of black youngsters. They have all sorts of problems, but we’re beginning to make a success of it. They do well here. Exam results are improving. Discipline is improving. The inspectors are happy – or much happier than they were before I came, anyway. We don’t need Murgatroyd. He’s some sort of born-again Christian. He’s been accused in Parliament of forcing his views on the academies he’s already running. They’re imposing rigid regimes and throwing out anyone who won’t conform – children or staff. Where will our difficult kids go if they can’t come here? St Mark’s is very successful at filling its places with middle-class kids. Who’s going to look after the rest if we don’t?’
    ‘I’m trying to write a profile of David Murgatroyd, but he’s a very elusive man. I’ve not been able to get near him for an interview.’
    Debbie Stapleton laughed.
    ‘No one can get near him, according to my teachers’ union people. The closest anyone gets is to one of his bag carriers, a man called Winston Sanderson. He’s been to talk to our governors but they were less than impressed. Not because he’s black, which he is; Jamaican heritage, I think. People simply don’t like his uncompromising views, which presumably echohis boss’s. Intelligent design, no proper sex education, homophobic prejudice…you name it. Of course, we have some parents who’d go along with some of that, especially some of the Muslims, but we’ve succeeded here so far by emphasising tolerance of difference. You can’t realistically ban bullying because of the colour of someone’s skin and then let it rip if they have a different sexuality. Bullying is bullying, in my book, and we don’t put up with it here.’
    Laura was surprised at how passionate Debbie Stapleton suddenly became. She flushed and glanced away for a moment and Laura saw that her eyes were filled with tears.
    ‘I was bullied at school myself,’ she said quietly. ‘This man Murgatroyd stands for everything I hate.’
    Laura paused for a moment to let the headmistress compose herself.
    ‘Would you survive the change yourself, as head, I mean?’ Laura asked.
    Debbie shrugged. ‘I’d have to apply for my own job. I shouldn’t think my face would fit.’
    ‘Do you have any contact details for this man Sanderson? Maybe I can get to Murgatroyd through him.’
    ‘You could try,’ Debbie said. ‘He left me a mobile number. Apparently he travels a lot. Murgatroyd himself is based in London.’
    ‘He is a Yorkshireman, by birth anyway, apparently, and he has a house up here,’ Laura said. ‘He seems to have hung on to the family home in Sibden, but he wasn’t there when I went up to see if I could catch him.’
    ‘Right,’ Debbie said. ‘Mr Sanderson did say they stay there sometimes. In any case, David Murgatroyd is coming here in a week’s time. Sanderson said his boss would want to talk tothe governors himself after they gave him quite a rough time at the last meeting. It’s scheduled for the 16th. You ought to be able to catch both of them then.’
    ‘Fine,’ Laura said. ‘I’ll certainly try to pin them down then if I can’t make contact