Friday, January 12, 2007

David Willetts on The Children's Database

Here's the Tory Shadow Education Secretary and MP for Havant making sense on the matter of the Information Sharing Index:

"That's why the first thing we've got to do is to support parents. It's very tough being a parent in Britain today. The last thing they need is an endless flow of new laws and new regulations telling them how they should raise their own children. Why on earth is the Government introducing a national computer register for every child in the country? We're going to have barcoded babies. We don't need it. That money should be better spent targeted on the families that really need the help. "

And for another reason why the Government should really think through the matter of the ISI, go to ARCH Blog's post How Libellous is Your Database?

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:16 pm

    He doesn't saw anything else that is good, though, on the contrary.

    "I believe that every child who leaves a British school should be expected - has a right to know - who William Shakespeare was, who Isaac Newton was, who Winston Churchill was. We are entitled to expect that of the nation's education."

    Since when does is an expectation and a right the same thing? This is as dodgy as the current policies on education. Also, since when don't schools try to force these subjects on children?

    I wouldn't trust a person who thinks education is about leaving school with the ability to answer quizzes to defend the learning autonomy of my family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Again, you're right Leo...though am prepared to take him for what he can offer, by way of good sense!

    If the Tories can make a fuss about the database to the point where they would vote against it, then all it would take would be to convince a few Labour MPs, perhaps with the latest ARCH argument, and hey presto!

    ReplyDelete