Posts Tagged ‘Politics’
October 6, 2011
Why is it that Government and now the courts think it’s appropriate to constantly change our role and responsibilities? Why can’t we do the job we have been doing for centuries without having to take on new unfamiliar duties?
A 14-Year old was acquitted for holding up a service station and stabbing the attendant because the teacher he confided in reported it rather than caution him. Apparently, the teacher had a duty to warn the student about his legal rights. Because the teacher failed to have that discussion, the child got off.
TEACHERS could be forced to warn students as young as 10 about their legal rights before counselling them after a remarkable court decision.
A 14-year-old boy who confessed to his teacher that he robbed a service station and stabbed the attendant with a knife, has been acquitted after the District Court refused to allow the teacher’s statement into evidence because he had not “cautioned” the boy.
It could change the way teachers and students relate to each other, NSW Teachers Federation President Bob Lipscombe said yesterday.
“This is potentially very serious for teachers,” Mr Lipscombe said.
“Teachers are expected to provide advice, assistance and counselling to young people on a daily basis and during the course of that, many things are disclosed to teachers.
“Most are fairly insignificant but often there are matters disclosed that are quite significant and in such cases teachers have never been advised that they can only act on information if they have previously cautioned the student,” Mr Lipscombe said.
The federation was taking urgent legal advice, he said.
“No teacher in the course of their work would caution students in the way this case states,” he said.
“Clearly this teacher did think he was doing the right thing and acting responsibly.”
Last time I checked teachers were neither police officers or lawyers, so why should we be expected to act like them? Surely this teacher acted responsibly, first for consulting his/her superior and then for reporting the matter.
What do they mean by giving a caution anyway?
“Next time, I recommend you not stab the person. He may get hurt.”
Yet another ridiculous and insane development for Australian teachers.
Tags:Barry O'Farrell, Bob Lipscombe, Children, Crime, Education, Judge Helen Murrell, kids, Law, life, News, NSW Teachers Federation, Police, Politics, Queanbeyan, Students
Posted in Education Policy | Leave a Comment »
October 4, 2011
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?”
“I learnt it at school.”
I have long said that there is rampant extremism in our educational system. Educational thinking lacks balance and is certainly devoid of common sense. Too often good intentions become crazy ideas because they are taken too far.
To read that the New South Wales Education Department would even consider for a brief moment a proposal to bring target shooting into schools just made me shake my head in disbelief. Of all the stupid, irresponsible, insane ideas (and there’s too many of them to count), this one surely takes the cake:
High school students could be allowed to shoot guns during school hours under a plan by the NSW Education Department.
An internal department submission has revealed an advanced plan to allow target shooting into extra-curricular programs at the state’s 650 high schools, The Daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday.
It comes after the department consulted the NSW Shooters and Fishers Party and shooters associations about how to roll out target shooting into schools.
Deputy director-general schools Gregory Prior said the department was yet to make a decision about the issue.
Readers in the US might not flinch at such a program, but we in Australia do not have the right to bear arms in our constitution. As a matter of fact, being in possession of a firearm is illegal. Why on earth would we want to encourage in any way, shape or form the use of guns?
Sure it would engage disillusioned students. It would be an absolute hit, I have no doubt about that. But what kind of message would you be sendin? Ask the kind folks of Columbine whether they think this initiative has merit.
Why can’t they think of responsible and productive ways to engage students? Why does educational thinking continue to lean towards the radical instead of the sensible?
Tags:Australia, Constitution, Education, extra-curricular programs, Gregory Prior, Guns, life, media, News, NSW, NSW Education Department, NSW Shooters and Fishers Party, Politics, Shooting, The Daily Telegraph
Posted in Engaging Students | 5 Comments »
September 23, 2011
In today’s age, knowing what we know about the risks of smoking, how is it possible that tobacco companies have access to schools? As important as it is to take into account cultural differences, China has no excuse in allowing tobacco companies to make their pitch to impressionable young children. The cost of a quality education is not worth it if it comes with lung cancer, heart disease and emphysema.
MORE than 100 primary schools in China are sponsored by tobacco companies in a move described by anti-smoking campaigners as hunting for the next generation of smokers.
The schools often have the names of Chinese cigarette brands, such as Zhongnanhai or Liqun, over their gates and in some cases have promotional slogans in the playground.
”Talent comes from hard work – Tobacco helps you become talented,” says one slogan, in foot-high gilt letters, on the front of the Sichuan Tobacco Hope Primary School.
Tobacco helps you become talented? No China, tobacco helps you die well and truly before your time!
Unfortunately, the message is successfully getting through to China’s underage demographic:
There are 16 million smokers under the age of 15 in China, 6.3 per cent of the youth population, according to the Chinese government.
For a country that is reknown for its strict regulations, it is mistifying that there is no regulations prohibiting tobacco from parading their brands in schools.
Tags:Children, China, Education, kids, life, Marketing, News, Opinion, Parenting, Politics, Schools, Smoking, Tobacco, Underage
Posted in Child Welfare | Leave a Comment »
September 14, 2011
Be very wary of a teacher with an agenda.
Teachers have opinions – that’s a given. They have beliefs about religion, politics, etc. But teachers do not have the right to use their classroom as a platform for spreading their convictions. Teachers must allow their students to think for themselves and reach their own conclusions.
Unless the school is a private religious school or the subject is Bible Studies a teacher does not have the right to deviate from the curriculum to canvass their religious beliefs. That is why the Supreme Court in the U.S. got it absolutely right when they handed down a ruling that disallowed such a practice:
Saying a high school teacher has no right to “use his public position as a pulpit,” a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that a San Diego County school district was on solid legal ground when it ordered a math instructor to remove large banners declaring “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE.”
Those inscriptions and others that longtime teacher Bradley Johnson displayed on his classroom wall amounted to a statement of religious views that the Poway Unified School District was entitled to disavow, said the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Under U.S. Supreme Court rulings, the appellate panel said, government employees, including public schoolteachers, have no constitutional right to express views in the workplace that contradict their employer’s rules or policies.
“Johnson took advantage of his position to press his particular views upon the impressionable and captive minds before him,” said Judge Richard Tallman in the 3-0 ruling, which reversed a lower-court decision in the teacher’s favor.
The district “acted well within its constitutional limits in ordering Johnson not to speak in a manner it did not desire,” Tallman said.
The two banners, each about 7 feet by 2 feet, contained references to God from U.S. documents and patriotic songs. One quoted the Declaration of Independence passage that all men are “endowed by their CREATOR” with unalienable rights.
If Mr. Johnson wanted to inspire his students to respect or even adopt his religious beliefs he should have disposed of the signs long ago and instead tried a far less invasive strategy. He should have concentrated on being a role model, acting with integrity, commanding respect from his students and making a good impression.
He may have had some or all of those character traits, none of which required cheesy signs. The best way to make someone follow in your footsteps is to lead by example not creating loud billboards.
Tags:Bradley Johnson, Education, GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE, IN GOD WE TRUST, Judge Richard Tallman, Law, maths, News, Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, Politics, Poway Unified School District, religion, Supreme Court
Posted in Ethics in the Classroom, Professional Conduct | 2 Comments »
September 2, 2011
Are you out of your mind Michael Gove? I understand that there are times when teachers have no choice but to physically restrain kids, but the way you have encouraged teachers to take the law into their own hands without even having to document it later is just plain lunacy. Teachers should always be compelled to write an incident report in instances when physical restraining takes place.
But the lunacy doesn’t stop there. An idea to encourage soldiers to take up teaching because their physically intimidating presence may improve classroom discipline is a big slap in the face of this great profession. To even consider replacing professional teachers for glorified bodyguards says little for Michael Gove and our hope for better educational outcomes in Britain.
MICHAEL Gove yesterday told teachers to have no fear of using physical force to restrain unruly pupils as he launched a blitz on classroom chaos. It came as the Government unveiled plans to encourage soldiers to take up teaching to improve kids’ discipline.
The Education Secretary said it was time to show disruptive kids “who’s boss” because “the rules of the game have changed”.
Under plans to bolster staff and undermine school yobs who hide behind human rights rules, teachers will no longer have to record each time they restrain a violent pupil.
Mr Gove said: “The last thing teachers need is another piece of regulation inhibiting their judgment.” He spoke of a “step-by-step” move of the “ratchet” back in teachers’ favour, adding: “We need to ensure we send a single, consistent, message that teachers are there to be respected, listened to, obeyed.
“Let me be crystal clear, if any parent now hears a school say, ‘Sorry, we can’t physically touch the students’, then that school is wrong. Plain wrong. The rules of the game have changed.”
Teaching isn’t about intimidation, it is about patience, care, dedication and insight. Perhaps we should encourage our fine, brave soldiers to take up politics.
I hear Mr. Gove is keen to explore life as a soldier. Perhaps a straight swap could be arranged.
Tags:Classroom Management, Discipline, Education, life, Michael Gove, News, Parenting, Politics, Soldiers, Teachers
Posted in Classroom Management | Leave a Comment »
September 1, 2011
Florida State Senator, Gary Siplin has got his priorities right. Instead of concentrating on education reform he turns his attention to the pressing matter of saggy pants:
In an effort to pass Florida’s new “Pull Your Pants Up” law, State Senator Gary Siplin showed up to Orlando schools on the first day of classes to hand belts to students whose pants sagged.
“We want our kids to believe they’re going to college, and part of that is an attitude, and part of that is being dressed professionally,” Siplin said.
Some may feel that this is a worthy cause, but what it actually does is hide some important challenges facing Florida schools:
Florida’s public-school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of personal income usually rank in the bottom 25 percent of U.S. states. Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. states.
Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25 percent of many national surveys and average test-score rankings before allowances for race are made.
If Mr. Siplin wants to do something real and meaningful with belts, I suggest he “Ban the Belts” by passing a law that bans corporal punishment in Florida schools. A 2008 paper revealed that Florida had 7,185 students hit in the name of teacher discipline.
I have been aquainted with some brilliant teachers from Florida through writing this blog. They are decicated and committed to providing quality education. They look beyond appearances and fight for the best outcomes for their students. They have far more pressing priorities than baggy pants.
Perhaps Mr. Siplin should forget about lifting pants and instead concentrate on lifting his game.
Tags:Corporal Punishment, Education, florida, Gary Siplin, life, News, Politics, Public schools, Pull Your Pants Up, Saggy Pants
Posted in Corporal Punishment, Teachers Salary | 1 Comment »
August 17, 2011
The American Civil Liberties Union continues to act without rhyme or reason. By representing child sex offenders to ensure that they are not evicted from their house which is situated next to day care centers, they are not doing themselves or the greater good of society any favours.
The Delaware American Civil Liberties Union has filed court papers to stop sex offenders from being evicted from a safe house that is located near a new day care center.
The ACLU, along with an attorney representing the safe house and three sex offenders, has asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent the city from evicting the residents.
“The state has asked the residents to leave, and if they don’t leave they will be arrested,” attorney Daniel Wolcott, Jr. told Fox News Radio.
Wolcott is representing the owner of the safe house and three sex offenders.
“The safe house has been there for a number of years and has been accepting registered sex offenders who are prohibited from living within 500 feet of a school,” he said.
Wolcott said there are two safe houses in question. One house was operating before the day care center opened for business. The other one was not. However, he said police said any sex offenders living at both houses would have to leave or face arrest.
Tags:ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, child sex offenders, Daniel Wolcott, Delaware, Education, Jr, life, News, Political Correctness, Politics
Posted in Political Correctness | Leave a Comment »
August 10, 2011
I couldn’t help but be struck by this excerpt from an article about the London Riots:
“… what I am saying is that for all of those who live and work in the poorer areas of London this disaster has been totally unsurprising. The fact of the matter is that we have manufactured within our society a sub-culture of sociopaths who care nothing for anyone or anything but themselves and are wholly unable to empathise with the suffering of others. The people most responsible for creating this social plague are the very same politicians, journalists and social commentators who are now asking “How did this happen?”
I believe that to a lesser extent the Educational system has bought into the plague too. So consumed by its bottom line, so obsessed with the meaningless private vs public school debate and so content to take creative children and force them to conform with a robotic set of rules and regulations, that children get lost in the crowd.
I had a discussion with someone recently about the role of schools. He felt that schools were nothing more than institutions with the responsibility of imparting knowledge. According to him, as long as the school could point to the lessons that were taught and the curriculum that was followed, their job was done.
I believe schools have a far greater responsibility. They must do a lot more than concentrate on prime numbers and single-celled organisms. They must try to ensure that every child has a sense of self and an understanding of how they can use their unique skills and qualities to contribute to society.
It sounds fanciful and “airy fairy” but children today are more obsessed than ever before by wealth, gadgets, appearance and all things materialistic. They spend so much time trying to outlook and outdo others simply because they are not happy with who they are and what they have. The question has to be asked, besides close family members, who helps them to understand and appreciate who they are and what they can achieve?
The media is charged with unsettling them and making them fearful. The advertising industry is charged with making them feel that without products and gadgets they cannot be happy. Where are our kids receiving the positive message they desperately need to hear?
Children often say, “Why should I be good to them if they aren’t to me.” Those participating in the riots seem to be making that statement. Whilst it is absolutely no excuse to do what they have done, one has to wonder who does look after the best interests of our children. Shouldn’t the school system who has our kids throughout their crucial developmental years do more to help them find acceptance in who they are? Shouldn’t the school system encourage them better to be themselves rather than conform?
There is no excuse for people who riot and willfully and violently break laws, but when reflecting on incidents lessons must be learnt. Children that are supported and nurtured don’t riot. Children who are in touch with their unique qualities and have been encouraged and accepted by others don’t riot.
We can go on preparing our students for calculus tests and chemistry assignments, but in a time of need and doubt, our students probably wont turn to calculus or tests tubes for salvation.
Tags:Advertising, Child Development, Class, Class System, Education, life, London Riots, media, Meterialism, News, Parenting, Politics, School, Wealth
Posted in Child Development | 2 Comments »
July 26, 2011
I am glad to see that the recent events in Norway isn’t prompting any knee-jerk reactions in banning violent video games. Although I dislike violent video games and would not want them in my house, I am not an advocate for banning them from the public. As much as I despise violence of any kind, I don’t believe that violent games causes violent outbursts.
Proper censorship classifications is a much better approach:
THE Australian government will not back away from new classifications for violent video games despite suggestions they might have played a part in the Norwegian horror, says Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor.
State and federal attorneys-general last week ended years of debate and agreed to support an R18+ classification for video games, with the exception of NSW’s Greg Smith, who abstained.
Mr O’Connor has rejected calls for governments to reconsider their position after revelations that the man accused of carrying out the bomb and shooting attacks in Norway, Anders Breivik, was obsessed with violent video games.
“Because there’s a madman who has done just such atrocities in Norway, I don’t think means that we are going to close down film or the engagement with games,” he told ABC TV yesterday.
Mr O’Connor said that under the new R18+ classification, the 50 most popular adult games could no longer be played by 15-year-olds.
Tags:Anders Breivik, Banned, Brendan O'Connor, Censorship, Education, Gaming, life, News, Norway, Opinion, Parenting, Politics, R18+ classification, Video Games, Violence
Posted in Child Welfare | 2 Comments »
July 21, 2011
Whilst Simon Hughes’ call for Primary schools to offer career advice has some basic merit, it deviates from the most important needs of a primary student.
Youngsters will be urged to start thinking about their careers from the age of ten under plans unveiled today by the Coalition’s education access czar.
Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader, wants primary schools to start giving career counselling to pupils.
Mr Hughes said: ‘It is never too early for people to start thinking about future careers and educational opportunities.
‘Children in their last year of primary school can be inspired, and can form their first clear impressions of the world of work and further study.’
Primary schools will have to host career advice sessions with industry experts and parents to discuss what qualifications are needed.
He hopes the move will make youngsters start thinking about university before they even start secondary school. Mr Hughes said: ‘The message I have heard from young people around the country is clear.
‘We need better careers advice, starting early, and with parents as well as students given better information about going to university.
If you give students the encouragement and support to help them see where their qualities lie, what they are good at and how they can use those skills to contribute to a classroom, school and society you never need to worry about career advice. The reason why so many students seem aimless and unsure of their future is because not enough time and energy has been put into their strengths and too much time tends to be focussed on their weaknesses.
By Grade 6 students seem to be aware of where they are academically, what they struggle to do well and how they are regarded by teachers and fellow students. What they might not be aware of is that there is so much more than academics in the makeup of a person. There is their personality, creativity, street smarts and leadership skills. Teachers must understand the strengths of all their students and praise them accordingly.
A student who is aware of what they love to do, where their talents lie and how they can use those skills and traits to contribute to society never need worry about career advice. Not at 10 years old anyway.
Tags:Careers, Education, life, Parenting, Politics, primary school, Simon Hughes, University
Posted in Education Policy | 1 Comment »
Topical Teaching 
