Cameron speech at Demos on creating a responsible society

Cameron speech at Demos on creating a responsible society; But our long-term reforms are about spreading freedom and parent-power across the state system so more schools provide the kind of education we need to help raise the kind of responsible citizens we want. So we will end the state monopoly in state education, meaning that any suitably qualified organization can set up a new school and any parent who isn’t happy with the education their child is receiving can send their child to a new school.This means when a new school opens down the road, and parents see smartly dressed, well-behaved kids walking to that school and getting good results others around it will have to improve. It means more good schools and more good school places. Ultimately, it means better educated, more responsible children.Strong families. Better schools. These are vital for developing responsible character in young people. But we cannot place the entire burden on the shoulders of parents and teachers.The truth is children are not brought up or initiated into society – and all its complexities, duties and obligations – by just a handful of people. They are like sponges, remarkably receptive to the influences. Whether it’s the music videos they see on television, the adverts they hear on the radio, the celebrities they follow avidly, the passer-by talking on their mobile phone, children are tuned in.They're constantly watching, listening and learning. That’s why the wider community must play its part in ingraining a culture of responsibility in young people. And by that I don’t just mean neighbours or the people you pass in your local parks and public spaces. I mean all of us – all of society.We all have a duty to ensure that children and young people are absorbing influences that encourage responsibility. Clearly, that must begin from the very top. Government must expect responsibility from others. It needs to send out the right messages on welfare, policing and ...