The betrayal of our children continues. To add to the dumbing down of education by both parties, we now learn of the teacher who was arrested for possession of crack cocaine but has kept his job because he is apparently an "excellent" role model for children
Michael Swann, 27, who teaches at Maltby Comprehensive in Rotherham was given a caution for possession of the Class A drug after being found with it in a nightclub.
He denies the drugs were his and claims that he found them in the club lavatory. Of course, you did mate, of course you did - that's why you accepted a caution - because you had never seen them before.
What message does this send to children?
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Thursday, April 10, 2008
The abuse of power
As Richard Littlejohn has said on more than one occasion, the more powers you give to the police, government or local authorities the more they will abuse them.
A case in point is Poole Council in Dorset who used laws designed to track terrorists to see if a family were really living in a school's catchment area.
The council admitted using powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) on six occasions in total.
James Welch, legal director for Liberty, said, "It's one thing to use covert surveillance in operations investigating terrorism and other serious crimes, but it has come to a pretty pass when this kind of intrusive activity is used to police school catchment areas.
"This is a ridiculously disproportionate use of RIPA and will undermine public trust in necessary and lawful surveillance."
Tim Martin, the head of legal and democratic services ("democratic services"? eh?) at Poole Borough Council, said, "The council is committed to investigating the small minority of people who attempt to break the law and affect the quality of life for the majority of law-abiding residents in Poole."
Where do they find these people?* He will go far.
The child in question is THREE-YEARS-OLD.
Martin added, "An investigation may actually satisfy the council that the application is valid, as happened in this case."
So, in other words it was a waste of public money.
* I know, I know - the jobs pages of The Guardian.
A case in point is Poole Council in Dorset who used laws designed to track terrorists to see if a family were really living in a school's catchment area.
The council admitted using powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) on six occasions in total.
James Welch, legal director for Liberty, said, "It's one thing to use covert surveillance in operations investigating terrorism and other serious crimes, but it has come to a pretty pass when this kind of intrusive activity is used to police school catchment areas.
"This is a ridiculously disproportionate use of RIPA and will undermine public trust in necessary and lawful surveillance."
Tim Martin, the head of legal and democratic services ("democratic services"? eh?) at Poole Borough Council, said, "The council is committed to investigating the small minority of people who attempt to break the law and affect the quality of life for the majority of law-abiding residents in Poole."
Where do they find these people?* He will go far.
The child in question is THREE-YEARS-OLD.
Martin added, "An investigation may actually satisfy the council that the application is valid, as happened in this case."
So, in other words it was a waste of public money.
* I know, I know - the jobs pages of The Guardian.
Monday, December 10, 2007
English for English schools...not American
And on the subject of education: when will the Americanisation of schools stop?
Why are exams now called SATs?
Why are exams now called SATs?
No more testing time for schools...
The Daily Mirror reports that "high-pressure exams" for 11-year-olds will be scrapped according to Children's Secretary Ed Balls.
Children sit English, science and maths tests on the same day at the end of junior school. Now they will be able to sit them "when they feel ready".
Another example of children being mollycoddled - what is wrong with testing? The 11-plus didn't harm children because in those days there was a real education to be had, not just the chance to be socially engineered.
It's apparently part of (yet another) overhaul of the education system. The Mirror reports that "Pupils as young as four will also get to learn a modern foreign language that could include Urdu or Mandarin. And teachers will be urged to work lessons into other parts of the school day by translating lunch menus and taking the register in another language."
Yes because saying that will help when reading out a list of names!
Children sit English, science and maths tests on the same day at the end of junior school. Now they will be able to sit them "when they feel ready".
Another example of children being mollycoddled - what is wrong with testing? The 11-plus didn't harm children because in those days there was a real education to be had, not just the chance to be socially engineered.
It's apparently part of (yet another) overhaul of the education system. The Mirror reports that "Pupils as young as four will also get to learn a modern foreign language that could include Urdu or Mandarin. And teachers will be urged to work lessons into other parts of the school day by translating lunch menus and taking the register in another language."
Yes because saying that will help when reading out a list of names!
Saturday, June 09, 2007
The betrayal of our children continues...
The latest fad from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is to introduce a new beauty diploma that studies ancient Egyptian make-up, hairstyles in society and cuticle care as a substitute for traditional GCSEs in history, geography and the sciences.
The diploma, one of 14 work-related courses to be introduced in secondary schools by the end of the decade, will count for either six GCSEs or three A-levels, depending on the level at which it is taken. There will be little time left for any other qualification beyond the core subjects of English, maths and information and communication technology.
Thousands of pupils taking the diplomas will, in effect, drop subjects such as modern languages, history, geography, science, design and technology and art, or study elements of them through the diploma.
A spokesman for the DfES defended the diplomas and said that their strength lay in the involvement of leading employers in their design.
"Accusations that the hair and beauty diploma content is in some way ‘dumbed down’ are as predictable as they are incorrect," she said. "The diploma will give students a broad and robust education that introduces them to the range of skills and experiences they need for work. It is a highly practical course.
"Students can elect to study optional subjects such as history just as every other student chooses optional subjects."
How can history be optional? How can ignorance of what makes and made this country great ever be optional?
(with Julie Henry)
The diploma, one of 14 work-related courses to be introduced in secondary schools by the end of the decade, will count for either six GCSEs or three A-levels, depending on the level at which it is taken. There will be little time left for any other qualification beyond the core subjects of English, maths and information and communication technology.
Thousands of pupils taking the diplomas will, in effect, drop subjects such as modern languages, history, geography, science, design and technology and art, or study elements of them through the diploma.
A spokesman for the DfES defended the diplomas and said that their strength lay in the involvement of leading employers in their design.
"Accusations that the hair and beauty diploma content is in some way ‘dumbed down’ are as predictable as they are incorrect," she said. "The diploma will give students a broad and robust education that introduces them to the range of skills and experiences they need for work. It is a highly practical course.
"Students can elect to study optional subjects such as history just as every other student chooses optional subjects."
How can history be optional? How can ignorance of what makes and made this country great ever be optional?
(with Julie Henry)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)