General strike/protest

[Seanjd]

No argument from me regarding the merits of the Sun. A horrible rag and no mistake. I'm also glad to hear you're doing well after your heart attack. Believe it or not, I very much want the best for the NHS as my other half works in it, and I've done a reasonable amount of work for it too. It faces some real challenges ahead, as indeed do health systems around the world. Hopefully it will figure out ways of meeting them.

I fear that it will not see through the challenges it faces; namely because of the current government which controls it. They are slowly selling off our education and our health service. The tax payer will have nothing left within 10-20 years if they get their own way.

 

[peteblue]

Now don't take my comment out of context.

The reference to Sun readers is valid in that that particular medium has a particular sway on a certain part of the population. And I have to say that their reporting of Col. H Jones in the Falklands Campaign and The Hillsborough tragedy are but two examples of how that gutter rag published 100% false information.

I understand whay you are saying in your last paragraph, but I cannot wholly agree with it. Long-term conditions... Hmmm. I have a 'long term condition'. A heart attack in August 2001. Triple bypass in Papworth in March 2002. Four tablets a day since August 2001. Long term condition which drains, to whatever small degree, the resources of the NHS. No healthier lifestyle could have prevented my heart attack - it's hereditary. The Medics at the time said the only surprising thing was that I survived it. I'm still kicking around today, and have absolute faith in our NHS. I'm not so naive, however, to believe all is rosy in the garden. And also that people do not take advantage of it. But 'taking advantage' happens in all walks of life, and we just have to get over it and carry on.

With the best will in the world, you will never arrive at a point where everybody is following a healthy lifestyle. Just won't happen in the real world.

But I will say that this has been a good discussion between the two of us, and is thought-provoking.

What is your Col H Jones reference about ........

 

[Seanjd]

Wow. I can't believe you are a teacher. So you are happy to just ignore what parents want for their children and just say "we know best". Well good luck with that one.......

Meanwhile, I know Clint is a teacher, and one who works in difficult circumstances, so I'd rather see what he has to post if that's OK......

Excuse me? Yes, I am a teacher and I work in extremely challenging circumstances. We have one of the highest 'disadvataged' (of free school mean in old money) percentage in Merseyside. Of course I don't ignore what parents want for their children, I work with parents every day. I do not, however, ask them for their views of bloody academisation.

 

[Old Blue 2]

No argument from me regarding the merits of the Sun. A horrible rag and no mistake. I'm also glad to hear you're doing well after your heart attack. Believe it or not, I very much want the best for the NHS as my other half works in it, and I've done a reasonable amount of work for it too. It faces some real challenges ahead, as indeed do health systems around the world. Hopefully it will figure out ways of meeting them.

Yeah, I believe we are on the same page, overall.

The heart attack - my dad died aged 50 of a heart attack when I was 11. His brother died in his mid-40s of the same thing. So I was aware of it, and any slight symptoms that might surface. No pain in the chest for me, just a numbness down my left-hand arm. I would seriously countenance anyone to go get checked out at the slightest sign of anything like that. Don't shrug it off, or dismiss it. I survived coming up 16 years soon, and as you can see from my avatar, I still get out and play in a band. Have been doing so since I was 18 and still at school at CAGS. No intention of stopping anytime soon!

 

[peteblue]

Excuse me? Yes, I am a teacher and I work in extremely challenging circumstances. We have one of the highest 'disadvataged' (of free school mean in old money) percentage in Merseyside. Of course I don't ignore what parents want for their children, I work with parents every day. I do not, however, ask them for their views of bloody academisation.

Why not ?.......

 

[Old Blue 2]

What is your Col H Jones reference about ........

In the general context of The Sun and my comment about it, the paper printed ficticious things about him. Total lies, just a made-up story to hit their front page with. I believe his widow had to threaten, or even take, court action before they finally admitted their transgression.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Why not ?.......

I can think of the solid reason of "they might not be as familiar with the school body as the teachers themselves"?

I mean I doubt anyone would come and ask me for plumbing advice, for example, seeing as I've never done it in my life, even if I have seen it be done quite a few times?

 

[Seanjd]

Why not ?.......

I'm usually talking about the child, or how we can work together, I'm not seeking their political views. What do you expect we do? Take a nationwide parent referendum on whether academies or good or bad before teachers are allowed to vote? No idea what your thinking is behind this one.

 

[peteblue]

I can think of the solid reason of "they might not be as familiar with the school body as the teachers themselves"?

I mean I doubt anyone would come and ask me for plumbing advice, for example, seeing as I've never done it in my life, even if I have seen it be done quite a few times?

But parents have a decent understanding of what is good for THEIR kids. If the parents were to believe that academy's were not a good idea for their education then they would support the teachers. To just dismiss them as an irrelevance and do the "we are the professionals, we know best" is not really a good strategy, especially from a 'profession' that has overseen the demise of our once great education system.........

 

[Seanjd]

But parents have a decent understanding of what is good for THEIR kids. If the parents were to believe that academy's were not a good idea for their education then they would support the teachers. To just dismiss them as an irrelevance and do the "we are the professionals, we know best" is not really a good strategy, especially from a 'profession' that has overseen the demise of our once great education system.........

Your view is invalid on this point, I feel, as you clearly have something against teachers. Grow up, mate.

 

[peteblue]

I'm usually talking about the child, or how we can work together, I'm not seeking their political views. What do you expect we do? Take a nationwide parent referendum on whether academies or good or bad before teachers are allowed to vote? No idea what your thinking is behind this one.

It's only you talking about 'politics'. No parent really gives a stuff. They just want what is best for their child. If you cannot communicate why your beliefs are better then why should anyone support you. You can go on strike without support, but you will lose, and lose big, because of your 'it's all about us' attitude.......

 

[DualityNSNO]

It's only you talking about 'politics'. No parent really gives a stuff. They just want what is best for their child. If you cannot communicate why your beliefs are better then why should anyone support you. You can go on strike without support, but you will lose, and lose big, because of your 'it's all about us' attitude.......

But... you asked him why he would avoid what is, most would consider, a fairly political topic/question...

 

[peteblue]

Your view is invalid on this point, I feel, as you clearly have something against teachers. Grow up, mate.

In my spare time I run a professional training company. I work with ultra professional lecturers dealing with highly technical subjects within hi tech industries. The day I forget the 'customer' I.e the person being trained, is the day we go out of business. If you wish to talk about 'growing up' I will gladly show you how. Meanwhile if you cannot accept that parents and their kids are what it's really about then you demonstrate a lot of what is wrong within education. As I said earlier I'll wait for a comment from Clint, no offence......

 

[Seanjd]

In my spare time I run a professional training company. I work with ultra professional lecturers dealing with highly technical subjects within hi tech industries. The day I forget the 'customer' I.e the person being trained, is the day we go out of business. If you wish to talk about 'growing up' I will gladly show you how. Meanwhile if you cannot accept that parents and their kids are what it's really about then you demonstrate a lot of what is wrong within education. As I said earlier I'll wait for a comment from Clint, no offence......

We are not a business, no offence.

 

[DualityNSNO]

In my spare time I run a professional training company. I work with ultra professional lecturers dealing with highly technical subjects within hi tech industries. The day I forget the 'customer' I.e the person being trained, is the day we go out of business. If you wish to talk about 'growing up' I will gladly show you how. Meanwhile if you cannot accept that parents and their kids are what it's really about then you demonstrate a lot of what is wrong within education. As I said earlier I'll wait for a comment from Clint, no offence......

And imo the "glorious British* education" was ruined when schools became thought of as businesses and pupils as "customers", which you have essentially said.

*And any other country.