Wednesday, March 17, 2010

To all supporters of Schedule 1

...of the CSF bill, Deech, Soley, Badman, Ed Balls, Simon Webb, whoever you may be. Be very aware that by forcing children, either because of some administrative error on the part of parents, or because an ignorant LA officer says so and without any chance to offer a defence in court, back into school, you will almost certainly have blood on your hands.

I personally know of three children who were withdrawn from school because they threatened to commit suicide. I know of two more who were self-harming. An older sibling of another HE child who had been bullied appallingly at school did commit suicide before his parents realised that HE was an option. Death, self-harming, anorexia and other long-term negative mental health sequelae...these will be your legacy.

From my own personal experience of the damage that school can inflict: three out of the 20 or so of us in my house in my year suffered from anorexia, one of them very severely. They were all fine before they went to that school. There were many other smiling depressives, and pupils who ended up with personality disorders of one sort or another, usually narcissism. At least one of the anorexics has nearly died of the disorder many times during her life so far. She is also sterile. Many of the others who suffered less severly said that their symptoms resolved the moment they walked out of the place. Am thinking this is unlikely to be a coincidence.

(Please note, I loved my junior school...I am objective about how people react to situations - unlike some others, it seems.)

School and the schooling model can be EXTREMELY DAMAGING. Get that into your tiny minds, all ye who have never suffered as a result of it. Turn on that part of your brains which appears to have got stuck in the "school is the answer" meme, turn on the ability to imagine how it might be for others who do not thrive in it and turn on the ability to imagine a better way forward for such people.

12 comments:

liz said...

Totally agree about the damage school can do (not in every case in every school obviously). My eldest dd ended up anorexic and self-harming. Guess why her younger siblings are HE'd.

Anonymous said...

In the Kyra disaster it seems likely that they let the welfare issue slide in the belief that Home Education would get the blame if things went wrong and that they could then use the incident to get rid of something they don't understand.

This might not have been a conscious action (that would be murder!) but unconsciously it seems hard to see it any other way.
d

Anonymous said...

Have you all seen this about this poor boy its on BBC web site

n boy who died after an asthma attack at a Greater Manchester school died of natural causes contributed to by neglect, an inquest jury ruled.

Valuable time was lost as Sam Linton, 11, was made to sit in a corridor at Offerton High, Stockport, as he struggled to breathe, the jury heard.

His death was significantly contributed to by neglect on an individual and systemic level, the inquest said.

The boy died a few hours later in hospital on 4 December 2007.

His parents have called for stronger implementation of first aid procedures at his school.

Anonymous said...

I pulled my ds out of school and within a few weeks the bully had stabbed an adult and did time in a YOI for it.

While I suppose I see those who want power supporting something that looks to give more power; I really am bewildered by Webb. Why is he so keen to pull the ladder up behind him? Or does he think there's something in it for him if this Bill goes through? Has he ever explained why he supports it?
I did see another woman whose children had finished EHE say she supported the Bill on a thread somewhere, but when challenged it seemed she hadn't read it.

Anonymous said...

Hi mum6kids i pulled my ds out of school and within a few weeks the bully had stabbed an adult and did time in a YOI for it.

Im sorry to hear that happened to your son.

I agree with you and i think Webb is hoping to make money out of it or get attention from media over his changed views!

Anonymous said...

Webb is a pompous twit who craves attention. Witness his nauseating and humiliating appearance on daytime TV. He seems to think he is the only person who knows how to HE a child and has become bitter and twisted because he isn't such a big deal - lots of other people do it without his "expertise".

It would probably be better if people didn't respond to his blog at all.

Anonymous said...

Webb is a pompous twit who craves attention. it would probably be better if people didn't respond to his blog at all.

i agree lets all keep away from his blog! but he sure does make me cross!

We had letter from Diana Johnson M.p 2day will Peter did says same sort of rubbish she says this " You asked why we do not ask children in school if they would like to be educated at home. I belive this is for parents to decide ,as long as the child receives a good education wherever they are taught.

Anonymous said...

As someone who got on ok at school and has kids who love school I cannot say with first had experience that schools do damage kids BUT I admire those people who do home educate their children, I would never in a million years want the right to educate my kids at home to be taken away.
School's have their place but for some home education is the way forward, I only wish I had the patience.
Good luck!!

Anonymous said...

Is there still chance the bill goes ahead?

Carlotta said...

Hi Leo,

Unlikely, though possible. However, we still have to worry about what will happen in the next parliament as there are rumblings that something else is in the offing.

I do think we need to make the case loud and clear that school is damaging for some children and that legislation in this area must reflect this reality.

Simon Webb said...

Well of course, I may well be a pompous twit; I shall have to consult my family and friends and get back to folk on that one! As for the suggestion that I have, or am likely in the future to have, blood on my hands, this is too grotesque for words. I suppose that people like Ed Balls and Graham Badman might reasonably be expected to put up with this nonsense. As a lifelong and ideologically committed home educator, I have no intention of doing so.

Anonymous said...

In what way are you not going to put up with it Simon? I suppose you could sue for libel but then you would have to show loss of income or damage to your reputation. Which would apply to you?