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The battle in the midst of the war

by Renegadeparent 7. April 2010 22:02

It's official. Certain provisions of the CSF Bill have been dropped, including those pertaining to home education.

This is good news: At the very least it is much-needed breathing space.

But Ed Balls, true to form, has already stated his unswerving intent to "provide proper protection to home educated children" (through measures that will, if implemented, put significant numbers of children at risk psychologically if not physically) should Labour win the forthcoming election.

And Michael Gove has foreseen the need to "make some changes" if and when the Conservatives succeed.

Then there is Nicola Woolcock, Education Correspondent for The Times, who has picked up on the panic bird set free by the likes of Balls by publishing today's "analysis" on leaving the vulnerable unprotected. She cannot even be bothered to spell the name of Khyra Ishaq correctly, and conflates the unfortunate death of that little girl with all manner of prejudice regarding families who simply say no, thank you to state provision. This woman appears to be labouring under the bizarre misapprehension that, once people achieve the status of parent, they can enjoy "unfettered freedoms" to abuse and murder their children without fear of detection or punishment. Shoddy journalism.

So all I would say is, celebrate winning the battle, but do not take your eye off the war that still wages unabated. We have all done so much: Developed and strengthened friendships; built links around the world; really supported each other - non of this non-negotiable support so beloved of our current government; generated a plethora of ideas to change, subvert and disobey; educated, publicised, analysed, challenged, highlighted, engaged with and debated - repeatedly. We've done this online and in real life; locally, regionally and nationally. All entirely voluntarily. Isn't that wonderful? I think so.

Let's keep calm and carry on.

Links to elsewhere:

Have I missed anyone? Let me know.

Comments

4/7/2010 11:25:44 PM #

totally agree, what are you going to be doing now hun? xx

buffybaskey

4/7/2010 11:27:52 PM #

Raises (another) glass to that!

Tech

4/7/2010 11:37:44 PM #

It is wonderful indeed, raising my third glass, cheers!

Maire

4/8/2010 12:02:49 AM #

I've linked to this post and also borrowed your list of links elsewhere. Hope that's OK

Sunnymama

4/8/2010 12:05:56 AM #

I'm going to sleep on it and pen my thoughts tomorrow.

Jax

4/8/2010 1:04:36 AM #

You're right, there may still be a long way to go. But you have done something. You have shown them that you won't just roll over and take whatever they throw at you lying down. All this chitter chatter may well be just face saving. It is my hope you will be able to convince the new government that things are just fine the way they are.

Kelly

4/8/2010 4:17:39 AM #

Cheers, lovely Lisa xx It's good news for now.

Gill

4/8/2010 9:24:33 AM #

We Won this battle. I do not doubt the fight will have to go on. One of my friends in the USA said that although over all they have the freedom to homeschool as they see fit they still have to come out fighting on a regular basis. Big government likes control.
But for now, cheers and thank you

Shell

4/8/2010 5:26:38 PM #

I use to Blog, but not anymore since I've come across your Blog and that of irdial to name a few. All of you say the things that need saying so much better than I could ever do.

I first wrote my Blog to
1) Raise awareness of the plight of families (like mine at the time) who are not conforming one way or another to the prescribed so-called 'norms'.
2) To give examples of behaviour of civil servants, which quite frankly, those individuals should be ashamed.
3) I was happy to name and shame the individuals in my case. In my case, the matter - on the whole - has a happy ending. Needless to say, the civil servants that I named and shamed in my case didn't/don't see it that way!
4) To ascertain whether I was the only one in my thinking that all these goings on are wrong, that some are fraudulent, some are corrupt and should be considered as a scandal. It is certainly a scandal when individuals have to result to Blogging their experiences to obtain justice.

Regrettably, in at least 3 cases which I have witnessed 1st hand, matters did not have a happy ending. These are the individuals who followed the civil servants every word, who are now in a worst position they before the state's intervention. They have been browbeaten into silence and worst still, I cannot report on the details on their behalf, without getting myself into significant trouble. Even a solicitor friend of mine strongly advised me to "let go."

So as you say, we may have won the 'battle' but the 'war' is still on.

Laura

4/8/2010 6:34:48 PM #

@Laura - Keep blogging. Every voice matters! Just say what things mean to you and how you feel.

DavidNcl

4/8/2010 10:27:36 PM #

Congrats on winning the battle!

If the US is any mirror of the UK, I would have to agree that the war goes on (and may be strengthening in previously unidentified fronts).

Thanks for the blogs and comments all of you...you keep me going some days

Anne

4/9/2010 12:10:01 AM #

thank you for your drive, focus, energy, clear sightedness, articulate expression, vision and persistence. i have come here for clear thinking and pointed analysis. you have never failed, and have helped develop and shape my thinking. for all of that, a big thank you!

grit

4/9/2010 10:23:44 PM #

Buffybaskey - I shall be talking about our decision to HE at every opportunity and finding ways to promote it. I might start a photoblog, or engage in more mainstream parenting sites with a link back to my personal blog. Someone mentioned making a film about it and I think that could be a fantastic idea too. I'll also be working with other HEors to try and find ways of getting positive HE stories into the MSM - but this is a little more tricky I think.

Tech and Maire - Hope you enjoyed your drinks!

Sunnymama - always fine by me, and thank you for passing the message onto your readership.

Jax - I will update the link m'dear.

Kelly - I hope you are right but I am not so sure... What we are doing (especially autonomous educators, and the proportion of those, I imagine, is pretty high) is profoundly threatening to any kind of government as we know it.

Gill - indeed, and I hope that you enjoyed your cup of tea with the rest of us xx

Shell - yes, that's the best we can hope for I think, but it's much better than the alternative proposed by Badders!

Laura - what DavidNcl said

Anne, I feel exactly the same. We are very fortunate to be able to connect in this way.

Grit o Grit, that is high praise indeed, coming from someone whose writing touches me so deeply. Thank you.

RenegadeParent

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Libertarian and heretic. Parent, partner and entrepreneur. Embracing autonomous learning. Leading not following. Challenging the status quo.

I do agree with being kind, considerate and generous to others.

I don't agree with compulsion, coercion or unnecessary intervention in any aspect of life - that goes for education and childbirth too.

I value autonomy, personal responsibility and informed choice.

I really am all for the freedom - are you?

The battle in the midst of the war

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