In case anyone hasn't noticed, there is a crisis in British education (except in the independent sector).
"For years, educationalists have been puzzling over the strange phenomenon whereby British schoolchildren do better and better in their exams each year and yet are plummeting in the international league tables.
According to the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment, our schoolchildren now trail those of Slovenia ... Comparing our schoolchildren's performance in 2009 with their performance in 2000 is problematic because the OECD has now disowned the 2000 UK figures (they were doctored by New Labour apparatchiks), but few would dispute that they're performing worse now than they were in 1997."
Do you want your children to do well in school, with a good relationships with their teachers? Do you want them to learn the valuable life lesson that IT ISN'T ALWAYS ABOUT YOU? Do you want them to learn how to accept the certain disappointments that life will send you, with serenity, to not take them personally, not be discouraged, but to continue to strive?
As to the remarks about sex abuse etc., well don't you think that the entire system of 'rights' and mistrust has swung too much the other way, leaving teachers, most of whom ARE NOT child-hating perverts, unsupported? This poster has brought up an important point, which is what the relationship between parents and teachers should be.
Frankly, it should be the parents supporting the teachers and the school. If you want to go on about 'principles', and 'defending' your child against a 'rule' that you have taken far too personally, then I will say to you again: grow up. I know this goes against the prevailing 'grievances should be supported' culture of this country, but in this you are wrong.
Now: attainment in the independent sector is not sliding. The percentage of private kids at the top Russell Group universities is now higher than in the 60s, and independently educated children have to be discriminated against with imposed quotas. Why is this? Why do these kids have better attainment? Two things: discipline, which is based on the TEACHERS being in charge, sure in the knowledge that they and the parents of their pupils have the same values. Secondly, expectations which are high. A really wierd thing comes out of this: the teachers in private schools really get involved with their pupils and really care about them, in ACTIONS not lip service. The success of independent schools is not about 'privilege'. It is about discipline, thorough teaching and very hard work.
I am a governor in the state system. I am telling you now that state teachers do not care about the kids, put themselves out for their pupils the way the private school teachers do. Oh there is a lot of talk about caring. Stacks of right-on yap yap. But the prevailing action in state schools is indifference and CoverYourA. Extra personal tuition out of their own time and off their own bat, to reward a pupils effort/determination, to get them back on track?? Never. Only at private schools. Never taking a child aside for a talk about their talent and potential, that if they worked hard, chose these harder GCSEs, they could be... It's not worth it, for them! School ends at 3.30, if something happens to you on the way home, not my problem.
And the reason is, why should they? The moment they make an error, a mistake of judgement (because teachers are human), they will get some grievance-filled parent acting on 'principle' because 'you are out to get my child' like the poster, on their backs. If you talk to teachers they will tell you how parents undermine their efforts and authority when they try and show children the difference between good and bad behaviour, right and wrong, actions having consequences. Otherwise known as discipline, not to be confused with child abuse.
You can be horrified about my 'cruelty' and 'judgmentalism', but you are being told a few home truths. Don't undermine your school! Don't give your children confusing signals! Don't do it!