General strike/protest

[peteblue]

We are not a business, no offence.

You are supposedly in the business of Education. How can you ignore the views and concerns of parents or children. Just make the case for you views. If you can't carry your 'customers' with you then you have no argument. If you can then you have a winning argument, which was my point......

 

[peteblue]

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

No mate, I specifically avoided any political angle, because the issue at hand is above politics. My view is about what is best for the education of our children, and I offered no viewpoint. I am just seeking an point of view that suggest one way is better than the other, and no one seems to want to answer it.......

 

[DualityNSNO]

You are supposedly in the business of Education. How can you ignore the views and concerns of parents or children. Just make the case for you views. If you can't carry your 'customers' with you then you have no argument. If you can then you have a winning argument, which was my point......

Children should be thought of as the future of the nation, an infinite resource to be taught values, morals, science, etc, in school, and not as customers, and imo it is so wrong that this has become the general opinion of the matter in most countries, my homeland included.

 

[DualityNSNO]

No mate, I specifically avoided any political angle, because the issue at hand is above politics. My view is about what is best for the education of our children, and I offered no viewpoint. I am just seeking an point of view that suggest one way is better than the other, and no one seems to want to answer it.......

"Why would you avoid talking to parents about this very political thing" was your question, in a subtle, yet obvious, way, sorry.

I mean, essentially, "Without going into politics, what is your opinion on this political policy" is more or less 100% a political question, even if it's said in a roundabout way tbh.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

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.

It's a funny one, as if you look around the world at countries that seem to do really well in terms of education, those such as South Korea, Finland, Poland etc. usually get a mention. The one thing that really binds them is that none have any real similarities at all in terms of what happens between 9-5 (or whatever hours they use). All three have quite different approaches to the actual schooling itself, but in all three countries there appears to be a real appreciation of the importance of education in their societies. I'd imagine it's pretty tough for any school to really succeed with a child who doesn't really want to learn when they arrive each morning.

 

[peteblue]

We are not a business, no offence.

Of course you are not a business. With your attitude you would not exist. You can only get by because the rest of us fund it with no say. However, if whatever you believe should happen, for the good of the education of our children, then just make the case and convince the parents to support you. If you can't then maybe, just maybe, your case isn't that good....

 

[peteblue]

Children should be thought of as the future of the nation, an infinite resource to be taught values, morals, science, etc, in school, and not as customers, and imo it is so wrong that this has become the general opinion of the matter in most countries, my homeland included.

That's fine, all we are talking about though, is the method of doing so.........

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Bit of a tangent like, but is there anything to stop the NUT or someone like that from setting up their own academy chain and running it how they see fit?

 

[daylightrobber]

Of course you are not a business. With your attitude you would not exist. You can only get by because the rest of us fund it with no say. However, if whatever you believe should happen, for the good of the education of our children, then just make the case and convince the parents to support you. If you can't then maybe, just maybe, your case isn't that good....

Errrr. That's an academy for you. Schools operating under the LEA on the other hand.

 

[Seanjd]

No mate, I specifically avoided any political angle, because the issue at hand is above politics. My view is about what is best for the education of our children, and I offered no viewpoint. I am just seeking an point of view that suggest one way is better than the other, and no one seems to want to answer it.......

I'm afraid the issue at hand is absolutely political. This is a political choice by the current government to turn every school in the country into an academy, in which business can have vested interests and the rights of the workforce can be compromised. Of course it is political. Now, you are making me out to be a poor teacher because you claimed I do not take parents views into account. I am, frankly, offended by that and I think you should apologise for it. In fact, I said that our children and our families are NOT costomers. You do not have a choice but to be schooled in this country. It is an offence not to attend school. We will strike because we, as trained professionals, deem the future of our profession scary for both ourselves and the children we teach. Do not try to remove this from politics. It is very, very political.

 

[peteblue]

"Why would you avoid talking to parents about this very political thing" was your question, in a subtle, yet obvious, way, sorry.

I mean, essentially, "Without going into politics, what is your opinion on this political policy" is more or less 100% a political question, even if it's said in a roundabout way tbh.

So damned if you do and damned if you don't.....either way I'd like to debate it without a political slant.......

 

[Seanjd]

Bit of a tangent like, but is there anything to stop the NUT or someone like that from setting up their own academy chain and running it how they see fit?

They couldn't set up an academy, they could set up a free school. But then that would go against everything they are fighting for.

 

[peteblue]

I'm afraid the issue at hand is absolutely political. This is a political choice by it current government to turn every cool in the country into an academy, in which business can have vested interests and the rights of the workforce can be compromised. Of course it is political. Now, you are making me out to be a poor teacher because you claimed I do not take parents views into account. I am, frankly, offended by that and I think you should apologise for it. In fact, I said that our children and our families are NOT costomers. You do not have a choice but to be schooled in this country. It is an offence not to attend school. We will strike because we, as trained professionals, deem the future of our profession scary for both ourselves and the children we teach. Do not try to remove this from politics. It is very, very political.

Then good luck with that. You will lose. You could strike for a year, but if the parents are not behind you it is pointless......and if you can't get the parents behind you, then it's not worth doing.......this is not politics, this is strategy....

 

[peteblue]

They couldn't set up an academy, they could set up a free school. But then that would go against everything they are fighting for.

Which is what ?..........

 

[Seanjd]

Then good luck with that. You will lose. You could strike for a year, but if the parents are not behind you it is pointless......and if you can't get the parents behind you, then it's not worth doing.......this is not politics, this is strategy....

Strategy? I don't understand.