One of the best things about blogging is the wider community within which one blogs. Not only have I been provided with really useful information and further reading by one generous blogger I've also been gratified to read Blogdial's excellent posts of this week, covering some of the areas I would love to get my teeth into but simply don't have the energy for at the moment.
So a very quick summary.
Blogdial writes a very important post on social work and child protection; I cannot emphasise this enough. Please read it.
The less-than-admirable Simon Webb, himself a home educator (and allegedly a close colleague of la Badman, not to mention a "third rate hack" - his words) calls for his masters to "get tough" on the rest of us, especially those who educate autonomously. What Simon appears to lack the intellectual vigour to understand is that fighting for anything other than the freedom for all to educate as they choose within the existing legislation (which protects children and parents alike) actually puts him and his family at risk in the future. For those who desire it, there is always a suitable time and place for intelligent debate about people's personal choices, but here and now is not suitable - and neither can what Simon says be described as intelligent.
Jeremy Yallop soundly refutes Simon Webb's flawed and biased argument in the TES here. Blogdial also takes him apart in a most satisfactory manner here. All I would add is that in his desire to impose his narrow and limited worldview on everybody else, Simon does perhaps deserve our sympathy - if anyone can muster any. Anyone who so desperately gravitates towards illegitimate power, desiring complete control over other people's futures almost certainly has less power and control than he would like within his own life.
Ed Balls spoke about another pet initiative - the Family Intervention Project - and only the most authoritarian of individuals would actually require me to fisk what he had to say in order to expose how despicable such an initiative actually is. Or perhaps Ed is finally showing us his sense of humour by satirising his dictatorial tendencies? Quote:
"The British government is to put the more irresponsible families under CCTV supervision in their homes – just to ensure their children attend school, go to bed on time and eat proper meals. Private security guards will also be sent round to carry out home checks, while parents will be given help to combat drug and alcohol addiction, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls says. As per the £400million plans announced, the problem families will be under 24-hour CCTV surveillance."
Working Dad covers it here with additional links, if you can stomach them, but for all of those "nothing to hide, nothing to fear" types (such as Simon): Do not ever assume that the government's ever-expanding definition of "irresponsible" will not extend to cover you. Eventually, it will.
Well, time to enjoy the rest of the weekend. I have a date with my family, a bottle of Gaviscon and several boxes of soap for my sniffing pleasure - my most bizarre craving to date.
