Ridiculous attitudes that any thread with an opinion or observation you don't agree with is "bashing"

[Rosehip10]

People need to understand that there will be different views, opinions, concerns and observations that you may not agree with - having a different view to yourself is not automatically"bashing"

Seems to be an attitude from plenty of posters:

1.) Any concern/question/criticism of anything to do with education = "teacher bashing"

2.) Any criticism of behaviour of teenagers = "teen bashing"

3.) Don't like the Government or their response to pandemic = "Boris Bashing"

4.) Any concerns about experiences with the NHS = "Nurse bashing"

This isn't some safe space echo chamber where everyone agrees with each other and people can't post what they like - within site guidelines of course.

[araiwa]

Reported for posterbashing

[Milicentbystander72]

Arawia 😂

[Milicentbystander72]

Sorry spelt your name a bit wrong.

[AngeloMysterioso]

You forgot Meghan bashing. I don’t think I’ve seen a single thread about her without someone saying it!

[Milicentbystander72]

This is though OP, and I'm really just talking about the ENDLESS home learning provision threads, is that people aren't just posting an opinion/critical opinion of education in general.

Mainly it's something like - "Why are all teachers (especially those state school lazy-arse teachers) all so utterly shit and why are they being paid for sitting on their arses"

[Finfintytint]

I think the bashing accusation comes about sometimes when someone can’t think of any other response to genuine concerns or criticisms.

[CurlyEndive]

I sort of agree with you OP, that this way of speaking shuts down debate. However, some posts are unnecessarily rude and offensive towards groups of people.

[Milicentbystander72]

The flip side of it is that anyone posting anything explanatoryor supportive over an official decision or guideline gets called a Tory Shill.

I agree it shuts down debate, but you gave to admit the Teacher baiting on MN recently has been relentless and disgusting.

[Port1aCastis]

@araiwa that's funny

[FOJN]

There is a disappointing lack of civility on some threads. The bashing accusations are used to shut down discussion or are a way of saying someone thinks the subject has been done to death and they have made up their mind about something so not only are you wrong but why are you still talking about it. Not clicking on a thread you are sure will annoy you doesn't seem to occur to some people so I can only assume they enjoy being combative with strangers on the internet.

[Helmetbymidnight]

I think the bashing accusation comes about sometimes when someone can’t think of any other response to genuine concerns or criticisms

i agree. its actually discussion/debate bashing and its unhelpful.

[CurlyEndive]

There is a disappointing lack of civility on some threads - sorry, but this made me chuckle! So beautifully understated

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe]

So long as the gratuitous spite doesn't get neatly filed-away with the 'difference of opinion', because it isn't that and never was.

Perhaps posters need to understand (to repeat your phrasing, OP) that endlessly starting and posting threads to post really vile, personalised comments in the same mean company as others of the same ilk, is exactly 'bashing'. For example, nearly every 'Meghan' thread gets deleted. Ever wondered why? Any 'teacher' thread I've been on has a fair split of opinions but a few posters push it, because that's what they do... on every thread.

There are other forums that don't care and I expect the 'bashers' already know of and post on them too. I don't know why they post here but I know why I do.

[FOJN]

CurlyEndive
Glad to have performed some useful service so early in the day

[thepeopleversuswork]

I agree. The idea that anyone questioning govt policy is Tory-bashing is deeply worrying (there was a thread on here earlier along these lines).

People seem to have lost any idea that debate and discussion underpins democracy. It's pretty scary.

[Port1aCastis]

Well yes I think the obsessive Meghan bashing should be added to your list OP as that is endless as is the teacher baiting, however it has been useful to me to read a teacher's point of view and to read the very different views on topics and in my opinion how the media has fueled those views but hey ho I have my opinion so everyone else is entitled to theirs

[CurlyEndive]

FOJN - you can tick 'performed useful service' off your to do list until tomorrow

[thecatsthecats]

I sort of agree with you OP, that this way of speaking shuts down debate.

Agreed.

If some is being monumentally unreasonable, there are two options available to other posters:

1. Stop reading and engaging on threads that are unreasonable. (I never open a parking thread because they're utterly tedious).
   
   
2. Reply with an explanation of why you think they're being unreasonable.
   
   I actually find it disturbing to see so many teachers wanting to shut down discussion and debate - it's a truly hideous option compared to the other two. (and one that has become more and more popular over the last few years due to fucking Brexit)
   
   (I was really pissed off seeing all the flowers in another thread - someone politely asked for an explanation, and were repeatedly told to go to another thread and read point 13 on post 9 - it was a simple question, bloody answer it, don't set a research project!)

[echt]

I actually find it disturbing to see so many teachers wanting to shut down discussion and debate

No evidence of this whatsoever.

I was really pissed off seeing all the flowers in another thread

Better the flowers than being told to fuck off.

HTH.

[lazylinguist]

I think 'bashing' is when people start a thread criticising a whole profession or age group in general on the basis of their annoyance with a few specific members of that group.

Criticising a particular teacher, a particular school, or a local group of teenagers is not teacher bashing or teen bashing. Starting a thread saying 'Why aren't teachers marking work?' or 'Why are teenagers flouting lockdown?' is bashing and is frankly idiotic.

People keep saying "Ffs - aren't we allowed to criticise teachers?!". Yes of course you are - you can criticise the ones who are failing to teach your child properly. How on earth are you in any way qualified to criticise the others?

[Iwalkinmyclothing]

People keep saying "Ffs - aren't we allowed to criticise teachers?!". Yes of course you are - you can criticise the ones who are failing to teach your child properly. How on earth are you in any way qualified to criticise the others?

Surely that depends on the context? The poll the Guardian reports on here is of 29,000 teacher responses to a NASWUT survey: I think it is entirely reasonable to discuss and criticise them whether they teach my children or not.

[thecatsthecats]

No evidence of this whatsoever.

So you wouldn't see flooding responses to a question (however poorly phrased or intended) with dozens and dozens of posts of purely flowers as shutting down debate?

Do you think that someone sees those posts and thinks 'ah, this is a space in which I can share my views, and trust that posters will read it and provide a written response to me that will either increase my understanding or give me something to rebut?'

I work in the education sector. I've actually won industry acclaim for initiatives that have measurably improved the lives of teachers. Since this started, I've been working to support teachers through our organisation in any small way we can.

As someone who is well-informed and broadly supportive of teachers, I find those posts narrow, intimidating and stymieing. I would feel too intimidated to reply to a thread strewn with fucking flowers.

I would very much like to hear your thoughts on how a constructive dialogue around this can and should take place.

Since you're so keen to help, @echt, I'm sure you'll be able to inform me that I shouldn't actually be intimidated out of speaking, as the flowers serve an entirely different purpose...

[lazylinguist]

Surely that depends on the context?

Yes you're quite right. Commenting on the results of a large teacher survey would be perfectly fair enough.... if that were what these frequent MN threads were doing. They aren't though, are they?

[stopcock]

This is just another goady fucker thread isn't it. 2/10 OP