Blair's Education "Reform" Bill

[loveme4whoiam]

I'm surprised no-one has brought this up yet, as it's such an important issue. The people in Blair's government (who I am now convinced are certifiably insane) wish to make it possible for schools to become "trust schools".

Essentially, any group with the money to build and run a school can do so. This means that any religious group, company, group of parents, anyone can set up their own school. And the worse part of it is, there will be no restrictions or guidelines for what will be taught until students reach Key Stage 4 education (GCSEs - aged fifteen and over).

This means that creationism can be taught as fact, that in an educational institution it could be taught that black people are evil. This is the most horrific attack on education itself, and Blair is calling it a reform! :angry:

Today the Bill was voted on by Parliament, and was passed with a 343 majority vote, proving that MPs really are utterly out of touch with what their constituents really want. The teachers unions are in an uproar, and sent out packages to every teacher in the country to try and oppose the Bill. Any student with half a brain who knows of the Bill is utterly against it, and yet it has still been passed. And what is worse, it'll sail through the House of Lords and become law.

The media is focusing on the political ramifications of the Labour revolt which saw the Bill relying on Tory support to pass, but the real importance is the destruction this will do to the education system. Imagine it: religious schools that only accept members of their religion (and this is allowed in the Bill) - you think the religious problems this country has are bad now? Wait until the educational institutions are churning out this crap.

Teachers are against it. Students are against it. Are you against it?

This is my first issue that I have felt strongly enough upon that I'll take action now. But I have no experience of such actions - I can polarise my college easily enough, but I want to do this city-wide, nation-wide - I need help doing so. So please, if you are in college, or knows anyone who is currently in education, or know anyone who might have even the slightest morsel of intelligence, tell them about this travesty. And more importantly, can anyone help me take action on this?

EDIT- Amended after having read through half the damn Bill and it's explanatory "note".

[RebelDog]

This whole episode has sickened, saddened and frightened me. As we know these sick inferior bastards that rule us have lost the plot. This is another insane policy of the mad neo-liberal New Labour machine.
Of course in the classic language of doublespeak these reforms represent 'modernisation.'

This is frightening stuff and I am fearful off the future. Kids could end up being taught by religious nuts or companies like microsoft, whom have already expressed an interest. This is the corporate and religious takeover of education and its state-sponsored. I can see a future where a big company moves to a town, takes over its ailing school and trains up kids for life on the production line, then buggers off when the factory ships to China. What is to stop this happening? Why would a company have any interest in schools if not for reasons of expediency?

New Labour come up with ever more elaborate ways of dismantaling the welfare state and shifting money out of the public budget in to private hands. Here is the most cynical and disturbing example to date. Its Victorian and its unethical, but hey its New Labour- New Low.

I dispair.

[Amusing Scrotum]

This is, without a doubt, a horrendous bill. Indeed, I cannot think of any other piece of Parliament legislation in recent history that will have such bad effects on the general populace. After all, the likely result of this bill is that people will get stupider. :(

I happened to watch a short programme the other night presented by that right-wing windbag Rod Little. In spite of himself, Little actually managed to create a decent program about the influence of Evangelicalism in Britain and in particular, three "Trust Schools" in the Newcastle area which were being financed by an incredibly wealthy Car Salesman who was also an Evangelical Christian.

The schools, as one would expect, were dreadful. Creationism was given the same standing as Darwinism, Assemblies were permeated with Christian rhetoric, the Headmaster was an Evangelical Christian who thought Evolution was wrong, and perhaps most appalling, was the "atmosphere" in these schools.

The schools, operated like mini clerical fascist regimes. One boy was expelled for smoking outside school hours, and there was some evidence that other pupils were being expelled to make the schools rise higher up the tables.

Plus, sanitary towels and the use of them, was frowned upon. Indeed, if I remember correctly, this lead to one girl having to wipe herself with a tissue because the teacher wouldn't let her leave the class. Not only this, but the school toilets had no bins for sanitary towels.

Additionally, there was a story of someone pissing themselves because the teacher wouldn't let them out of lesson - and as you can imagine, it's incredibly embarrassing when someone pisses themselves, especially if they are a teenager!

Everything about these schools positively stunk of despotism, and not just the type of adult despotism you usually associate with school environments, but a type of despotism that seemed much worse! :(

Needless to say, parents and pupils (and some teachers) were very annoyed with the way these schools operated - mainly because they were never told this is what would happen and because they had no choice but to send their children there.

So I suppose my advice to anyone wanting to protest this, is, at the moment at least, try to get the message out to as many people as possible that this is a really shit idea!

However, I suspect that many people won't take this seriously until one of these schools starts getting built in your area, or even worse, gets built.

If you happen to be in an area where one of these schools already exists, then I think your best option would be to talk to as many pupils as possible. As I mentioned before, most teenagers these days don't really like authority ( :D ), especially despotic authority.

So, if you can convey to them a message that resistance is possible, then I think they won't need any more encouragement. And, if a shitload of pupils start resiting the schools, the schools will be fucked! :D

Other than trying to link yourself with other teenagers, I think the best thing you can do is either find an organisation that opposes these schools in your area, or, if there are enough of you, start your own organisation.

Getting as many people informed about these schools, as well as trying to encourage resistance, however trivial, is, I think, the most fruitful method you could apply at this point in time.

Hope this helps. :)

[loveme4whoiam]

Armchair Socialism]However, I suspect that many people won't take this seriously until one of these schools starts getting built in your area, or even worse, gets built.
Indeed - I'm currently debating on a forum I've been a member of for years, and one guy (whose perfectly intelligent) said the Bill was "as threatening as a fart in the wind." Clearly, this has got to change.

Today I'm getting hold of all the package the Teacher's Union sent out to every teacher in the country (thank you, closet Communist Sociology teacher :D) so I can see what they've told members to do. I have no doubt that the school will be behind me, they're actually pretty smart (the teachers - not the administration:angry:), and I'm going to send a letter round to all the schools and colleges in my area asking if I can speak in an assembly in their schools. I'm tentatively thinking of trying to organise a demonstration in the city centre, which is usefully right next to the City council building. Anyone in the UK who knows about doing this properly I would be glad of any assistance. I'm also going to write up a leaflet that I'll distribute in any place I can think of (cheers ComradedeLibertad :D)

[Niall]

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2006, 10:50 PM
Teachers are against it. Students are against it. Are you against it?


bloody right teachers are against it. its an awful bill

[McLeft]

From now on, I will feel as if the education system of my country isn't really education but a sham! If this so -called 'reform' is to prevail for decades to come, I certainly won't be sending my kids to school here in Britain, it's a shame that our once excellent education system now resembles a mental hospital. I am utterly opposed and so are all my friends, I'm lucky that I only have one year left of further education but what about my children? and those who are in primary school today? Blair has destroyed Labour, can we please have Old Labour back Mr Bliar?

Is there no mentally able parties in this country? fucking hell, we're heading down, we'll soon hit the ground...........impact, we're dead, Britain is not the same Britain of the 70s, why isn't there a good enough political party? I am frustrated, can we just form a new party that is capable of reasoning properly? This is just getting on my nerves, i'm sorry but there's just no point on voting anymore.

[loveme4whoiam]

Indeed, the lasting implications for this Bill mean the downfall of our country's education system. I'm hoping that if the demonstration I'm hoping to organise is noticed other students will take note and oppose the Bill as well, like those French students protesting at the moment.

If anyone can help or give advice with organising a demo, please PM me. I'm going by what I think it best at the moment but I'd like some professional help :D