Educators have been one of the most outspoken sectors of workers in recent times, as they highlight things which are wrong in the system they work in: be it on an administrative level, or on working conditions, or on any other level.

Now, the government wants to muzzle them - effectively telling them that they're either going to parrot the party line and effectively become government mouthpieces, or they're not going to be allowed to speak at all.

This Orwellian-esque directive emerged this week, after an Education Ministry circular applying to educators at all levels was issued demanding that permission must be sought from the Education Directorate in order for them to speak to the media.

Then once permission is obtained, educators have been told that they must refrain from promoting their personal opinions or making statements that may be perceived as being politically biased.  Failure to do so would make the educator in question eligible for "review and ensuing action."

This circular was issued under the guise of maintaining professional standards in education and safeguarding the integrity of the educational system - but in effect it opens a can of worms. 

First thing's first, it aims to turn educators into nothing short of a government mouthpiece: make no mistake, permission will only be granted to a select few 'friendly' educators who wish to speak to 'friendly' media houses, and when permission is granted it will be for these educators to say what the government wants us to hear.

In a sector where how to share and handle effective critique is one of the most important things to be taught to students, the government is in effect sending the message that it should be immune to criticism.

This is not to mention the significant implications this has on educators who follow up causes outside their working lives.  What does this mean for educators who are also involved in politics, or in civil society movements? Is this effectively barring them from doing so through government censorship?

The matter has now been highlighted by the Nationalist Party through its education spokesperson Justin Schembri - who is, in fact, also an educator - and has been sent to the Ombudsman for investigation - and rightly so. 

It is telling perhaps that the Labour Party in responding to the Nationalist Party made no actual mention or reference to the circular itself, choosing instead to refer to the new sectoral agreement and to attempt to feed us silly false equivalences and meaningless political discourse to try and deviate attention.

Even the Labour Party, it seems, appears to be so embarrassed by this situation that it wouldn't actually go as far as to directly refer to it and address it.

The opposition to this dystopic, censorship-introducing circular is palpable - and quite rightly so.  Educators should not be muzzled and threatened with disciplinary action if they do not follow the government's line. 

What type of society do we want to create if we are to muzzle those educating our children? What message does that send?  The message it sends is that the government is there to control our every word, and that those who dare criticise will be subject to the warped hammer of disciplinary action.

That's not the message we want to send to our children.  Teachers are not government mouthpieces.