6/11/2009 1:11:31 PM #

I don't have your power with words and i don't have much knowledge of the law, but i hope to be enlightened and helped to fight this on every level.

Maire Stafford

6/11/2009 1:22:01 PM #

Sorry to say this, but it was obvious. They've probably had the 'review' document written for months.

I think we should start a fund for fighting all the unacceptable crap, don't you?
I'll start off with a pledge of £10.

Diane
http://www.threedegreesoffreedom.blogspot.com

Diane

6/11/2009 3:40:56 PM #

A good few years ago (OK, 2003!), whilst in full-time paid employment (but childless) I attended a meeting about a matter involving planning. It was a national meeting and many civil servants from planning departments throughout the country accepted the invitation.

It was billed as a "workshop" where "best practice could be shared" with the ultimate aim of "collecting the best ideas to form an appropriate policy."

We all entered the workshop excitedly. However, as the so called workshop (read lecture) unfolded as the morning dragged on, it became clear that the whole day had been misrepresented. Over 2/3 of attendees/delagates did not return after lunch, prefering to return back to their offices as it was obvious that the whole "workshop" was a farce.

It was clear that the representative of the government body who had organised the workshop did not have the faintest grasp of English planning law basics, which itself was shocking. It was also clear that the policy had already been drawn up and the outcome of the workshop pre-determined.

To cut a long story short, the recommendations and policy, despite the song and dance surrounding it all, was quietly dropped. Not one planner (that I know of) supported the resulting document, and I suspect (I do not have the proof, as I am not 'privy' to the discussions surrounding the whole issue) that it was lampooned by all "interested parties".

Still, the said person was pacified with an MBE (Member of the Brownose Establishment in my opinion) so everyone was happy with the outcome in the end.

As a result of my own personal experience, I can only agree with Diane's opinion that the conclusions and outcomes of the EHE review was already pre-determined, probably prior to the new year. However, unlike my experience with a particular planning policy, I fear these recommendations have already been earmarked as statutory.

Whether my fears have any foundations, lies in the answer to the question "who will be responsible for funding all these recommendations?" Because, if the LAs are to be believed, their budgets are already stretched to the limit. Is all the extra work going to be undertaken by civil servants on a 'Pro bono publico' basis? I doubt it and that could be the HE saving grace. Especially if the said person is offered an MBE for his "efforts".

Laura

6/11/2009 3:46:54 PM #

I've just realised that the said bloke has a CBE - Refer to Sir Humphrey Appleby's definitions in Yes Minister to what the acronym really means.

I'm afraid to say that home educators of England are well and truly screwed. Mind you, if the current economic situations continues and the IMF takes over, there might still be some hope but that's definitely clutching at straws.

Laura

6/11/2009 4:08:03 PM #

That is what we want to know who is going to fund all of this? as we know that councils are short of money!

bubble

6/11/2009 6:22:36 PM #

A bit off topic but this afternoon a man knocked on our door, he was conductiing a survey on behalf of the Department of Health. He asked if a mother of children aged between 0-11 lived in the property. I told him I didn't want to answer, feeling a little paranoid today, we HE two of our children :0.
Then I bravely sent my husband (a pc)to find out what the survey was about.
It is to help establish the information regarding the diets of 0-11 year olds and to help the government to predict future health issues and actions.
Compulsory fridge and pantry inspections?
Then I received a call from the LA, would I be amenable to a home inspection next Tuesday?
No!

Sam

6/11/2009 7:12:49 PM #

Phil Walker has a good post at melangerie.blogspot.com/.../...-strikes-again.html

Young Mr. Brown

6/11/2009 8:16:17 PM #

Sam I have a friend who has had these same people round - on the back of the change for life campaign.

Tech

6/11/2009 9:19:13 PM #

If anyone knows the departing 'Issie' off the HE board, I am one of her sons.

I am so glad that I was able to be home educated before the totalitarian state started meddling in home education. NO2ID and other groups are getting together on this I believe as it is a database state issue.

We badly need a new Government but unless opposition is well-coordinated I think you're going to lose. The Civil Service is behaving less like a democratic and accountable institution and more like the Stasi. I am deeply embarrassed and frightened - not only for my own welfare (I am on benefits; I know that it probably isn't helping me in the long run but I have little choice, especially at the moment) but for those of others. People who believe in freedom are simply being sidelined and there is very little we can do about it.

For us to have any hope at all we must be putting pressure on the incoming Conservatives. If we don't then parents seeking to home educated will be humiliated and oppressed by state apparatchiks. I do not want this as a future for Britain.

Paul

6/11/2009 9:34:08 PM #

And what are the odds that having started to HE back in January I would get my first contact letter from the LA TODAY?

Firebird

6/11/2009 10:02:02 PM #

Sam
Are you real?
Did they really come to your door asking what you feed your kids?
Feeling like we are in an alternative universe now?

regards to all
Elizabeth

Elizabeth

6/11/2009 11:54:58 PM #

Paul! Yay, hello again! Heartily agree.

Elizabeth, this happened to my friend - a man came to the door asked if there there were any children over 11 in the house, said said no, 3 of 8 and under. His reply, and I quote: *well I'm only interested in children over 11 and men!* Then went on to tell her that there would be a woman round next week for the under 11s and women. He was from change for life.

Tech

6/12/2009 12:06:26 AM #

@ Elizabeth, yes I am real, and yes it was surreal, today of all days.I sent the man away in shock(mine) My husband, a policeman, went after him to find out if he was real and what the survey was about. Seems like another waste of money by the government to me.
@ Firebird, think it was a coincidence for us as we've had missed messages on both sides, but where as before I was unsure of a home visit, today, after reading the the review,I said no thanks, I'll send you a report.

Sam

6/12/2009 12:37:04 AM #

Thanks Tech, sounds the same.

Sam

6/12/2009 2:31:01 AM #

We won't lose, Paul. We will not lose.

We are parents. We are the terminators protecting our children's welfare. We will never give up their sovreignty. Never. Never. Never. We will never give up, never surrender.

Danae
http://www.threedegreesoffreedom.blogspot.com

Diane

6/12/2009 7:17:26 AM #

Watch for abuse cases in the papers and on the news that discredit home educators.

Paul

6/13/2009 4:13:46 PM #

Pingback from irdial.com

Graham Badman and Ed Balls declare war on Home Educators | BLOGDIAL

irdial.com

6/14/2009 3:40:53 PM #

Thanks to everyone who commented.

It's especially good to hear from at least one parent, Laura, who wouldn't necessarily class herself as a home educator (although of course that's precisely what all of us do) but understands the wider agenda here. Thank goodness. And of course someone who was home educated as a child and reaped the benefits - hi again Paul!

I agree this whole thing has been in the pipeline for a long while. I swing between thinking that at least some of these people must genuinely believe in what they are saying, and only want the best for children - and thinking that only a very stupid or evil person who had no concept of or respect for the very normal parent/child bond would make these suggestions. I am not feeling very charitable towards any of them today.

Sam, Tech etc - the adverts on tv are bad enough! Portions of food to suit the size of the person eating them? Wow, that's some high-level thinking they are throwing at us there!

Renegade Parent

6/26/2009 3:23:08 PM #

The report appears to be a sham and contains nothing of value to the home educator or the child who may need protecting from abuse.

It is an obvious piece of proposed state control legislation. A little like the red-fascism of years gone by.

The report aims to remove more rights from the parent and make the state responsible for your child’s well being and education. This is Stalinism.

It's written by Graham Badman, a staunch supporter of institutional education, who will not, and probably cannot, defend his own report to the public.

It's orchestrated by Ed Balls, number one advisor to Mr Brown, who is himself synonymous with state control schemes, such as I D cards, council listening devices, phone call invasion, email spying, number plate tracking, biometrics, DNA databases, personal information sharing & collection, 5 million public control cameras, DVLA info sales, blocking freedom of information etc.

And this is only the start, once they have this much control, they won't stop taking more. Just like cameras were never going to be used for anything but serious crime prevention, but are now used for parking tickets and road tax collection.

If this proposed legislation gets in, then I don't think we can rely on the next government to throw it out either. Once a government has power, it is unlikely it will give it up. So the fight needs to be undertaken now.

Mark