Oh fuck I shouldn't, I know but....

[ZXEightyMum]

From a child-free friend and social worker on FB:

"The idea of over indulged teenagers in a wanky self directed learning environment type private school having measles as a direct result of their hippy parents willingness to believe bad science media hype is pretty funny"

about an outbreak of measles in an independent school.

It isn't funny is it? I don't think so. I do happen to have a vaccine-damaged child but it's still a bit insensitive I think.

MsTeak, I used to work in a hospital - we had very dark humour there too - but it didn't descend to laughing at children suffering an outbreak of measles.

I have now had a LOL HUN comment saying that the U.K uses "herbs" and that measles makes boys sterile.

and from the social worker:

lling at the herbs. Maybe some kind of self directed healing where they seek out their own aromatherapy related cure. But only if they want to. Given the gene pool in operation here I'm not sure if potential sterility would be such a bad thing.

Oh, lovely.

yes, but you don't know that anyone is actually laughing at the children, rather than the situation in an abstract sense. They aren't drinving past the school shouting "ha-ha" out of the window, presumably.

Personally, I think its in poor taste, but I wouldn't be outraged by it.

Niiiice.

MsT - no, but laughing at the situation that involves children being potentially ill is not nice.

it sounds to me they are laughing at the stupidity of the parents in not getting them vaccinated.

Is it only "hippy parents" who can afford private education that believe tabloid bad science?

Sounds to me like she dislikes the parents more than she dislikes the bad science.

people laugh at many things that are not nice.

She sounds like a twat.

but tbh there is little you can say or do that she wont dismiss as you being a hippy lover or what have you.

just pity her.

"The idea of over indulged teenagers in a wanky self directed learning environment type private school having measles as a direct result of their hippy parents willingness to believe bad science media hype is pretty funny"

I will Mamazon. I will try to pity her but I will also save my pity for the people who have actually given birth to and raised children until their teenage years. All those sleepless nights and BF, soreness and all, and washing and sterilising bottles and nappies and wipes and sacks for years. Teaching the little children to walk and making those all-important decisions regarding schools.

And in the end, the the person who is supposed to be making the best decision for your child is sniggering at your parenting choices and hoping that your older child suffers from a terrible and serious illness.

agree that its quite unpleasant to laugh at the idea of teenagers having a serious illness, although I kind of share her underlying contempt for people who don't vaccinate their children, tbh.

Fair enough.

A bit harsh to wish a serious illness on young people who had no input though, no?

I think she has a chip on her shoulder about private schools. Bizarre that she put all that stuff in about the school when she was really making a point about vaccination. I also don't agree with people who don't vaccinate their children although I can understand their point of view. But when I heard about some of the recent measles and mumps outbreaks I was sad rather than cackling with laughter. Not one word of her comment makes her look good. If it's any comfort I'm sure you won't be the only one to raise an eyebrow at her post...

I am trying to be charitable here (for once) and say perhaps she didn't mean funny ha ha but funny ironic.

Still not great I admit, especially from a professional

People are such idiots on FB sometimes aren't they?

I will just say that my dp grew up near ashburton and he said the school was a bit ridiculous. The kids were literally allowed to do whatever they wanted. I'm sure he said he used to get pissed and have parties with them on school grounds. Not really relevant as I still think it's not funny per se...

So it is a wanky school is what I'm saying. She has that bit right at least!

OMFH .

Mind you, I know of a social worker who said a child being sexually abused was the same as when she (the SW) had her boobed grabbed by her boyfriend.

"children encouraged but not forced to attend lessons..."

Says it all really...

From the hpa website re mumps (not measles!) and sterility:

"Despite common belief there is no firm evidence that orchitis causes sterility."

It bothers me that all the newspaper articles about measles recently have been saying how there have been 370 cases so far this year when there were only around that many in total last year. This makes it seem like there's a big outbreak but the figures are pretty much the same as 2008 and 2009 - there just happened to be fewer cases last year. Must not have been a 'measles year'.

I think you should get over yourself. YABU