10/13/2009 7:49:52 AM #

Is the man on something?

"I am talking about a curriculum structure that allows a child to make choices".
Eh?

Why do we ever listen to these people? Or should I call them things because they certainly don't act like people.

No surprises though. Totally illogical, unless you want everyone under your abnormally shiny jackboot.

Reminds me of one of the MASH episodes. A general was getting increasingly crazy which everyone around him appeared to realise but failed to call him on. It only stopped when he asked the black sargeant to dance because 'All black men are good dancers'.

He was taken away to a mental ward.

Politicos should be treated with suspicion because they do not have our best interests at heart. They have agendas. They have plans.

And school is coming to a home near you, is it? Well, naturally it is SUCH a wonderful success at SCHOOL.

Outraged of Swindon

10/13/2009 5:29:34 PM #

Lisa, thank you so much for your clear thinking and analysis. You inspired me, and I unashamedly stole from you in my email to Barry Sheerman. Here it is:

Dear Mr. Sheerman:

Yesterday I watched the live broadcast of the Select Committee discussions of elective home education. I am a Canadian home educator who has been following this issue with great interest. I submitted evidence on the North American experience to the Select Committee.

I was amazed to see that you referred to "horror stories" with regard to EHE. And yet you were not, as no one ever is when slinging these accusations, specific. Why? Because there are no actual horror stories. The few actual child abuse issues that have been covered so vociferously in your media were just that--child abuse issues, and had nothing to do with the practice of EHE. Not only that, but these children were well known to your local authorities, and it was your system that failed them, not EHE. Regarding the actual success of EHE as an educational alternative, I can only, again, refer you to the reams of research that support this educational model, which is at least as effective, if not superior to, traditional education in schools.

Please be aware that the world is watching. Home educators around the world will make this an issue of international human rights. How dare the U.K. government think it can decide whether parents and children have the right to spend their days together? When did families lose the right to determine how much, or how little, time they would spend together, and how their children would be educated? I remind you, again, that the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children."

This whole farce is ludicrous, but I was hoping for some sense and impartiality from the Select Committee. I was saddened to see your biased and unrepresentative choice of witnesses, which belied your true purpose. As I said, do not fool yourself. The world is watching.

Kelly

10/13/2009 8:15:42 PM #

As always a nice summing up Lisa... & Kelly's letter is spot on!
I wish I could think clearly enough at the moment to come up with something even half as concise & unrepentant as both of you have (trying to write to my MP).... but all I seem to be able to summon is "Aaaaarrrggghh!"... & some expletives...

Loubeeloo

10/13/2009 9:57:47 PM #

It was interesting to see that Badman said that only a small vociferous minority were against his report, but at a later stage he joked that home educators (as a whole I assume, he did not say some home educators, or a minority of home educators)) would be relieved that he would not be carrying out the study into suitable curriculum. Thus admitting that he knows the truth about the real numbers of people that are against him.

Darren

10/13/2009 11:10:06 PM #

Anyone got a proper transcript of the Badder's evidence?
There is so much in which he contradicted himself.
It has been disseceted in parts in various places but we need a comprehensive rubbishing.

However the key issue is that we are at a crux. (Apologies as you all know this...)
This govt assumes that every home educator is a potential child abuser (& by extension, EVERY parent in the school holidays & outside school hours.) There are deep questions about the relationship between children and their parents in this. From now now on the default assumption will be that all parents are child abusers. They have come for Home Educators first. They will come for all parents soon.

Our "task" is to wake up the sleeple, but how do we do so when they are consciously or unconsciously ranged against us?
See Irdial's list:
“How can Home Educators afford not to send their children to school… I hate the rich.”
“Why do I have to work and not be with my beautiful children? I am a bad mother… I hate these people for showing me up.”
“I do not believe that our children should be educated at home. It should be banned.”
“The government should do something to find these children and make them safe.”
“I am safe with my children, but you never know what other parents are doing. We need to ban this.”
“School is the proper place for learning. Our children should learn in groups. We have to crack down on this.”
“Without the rough and tumble of the playground, our children will be disadvantaged. We should ban this.”
“It’s just not normal. The government should step in.”
“Why would anyone want to do this? I would go mad if I had my children at home all day. They must be bonkers.”

I have been very wary of using the Niemöller analogy but I think that it is now appropriate.
To remind everyone, (apologies again....)

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

It is no longer an overreaction to use this.
We are at a crossroads.

Ronnie

Ronnie Somerville

10/17/2009 5:47:49 PM #

Re his comment "It's case law it's not legal". Try telling that to a High Court judge. This is complete nonsense! Case law IS law. The man is an ignoramus.

Ronnie