Is this the mother of all calling out - Katherine Birbalsingh

[DramaFatigue]

Katherine Birbalsingh has done the mother of all calling out and I can't help but sit here with my jaw on the kitchen table in awe.

She has written a 4-page open letter to Sir Kerr Starmer calling out Jess Phillip's behaviour online. Whilst I don't always agree with KB's methods of the school she runs, I do think that Jess Phillips behaviour towards her is shocking and unbefitting of someone who could be running the country. JP should resign TBH.

https://news.sky.com/story/headteacher-katharine-birbalsingh-brands-labour-mp-jess-phillips-social-media-posts-racist-and-bullying-12913139

If Im honest I cant really get worked up about grown adults having a social media spat

Why do people do this, just stay off it.

Didn't she flip out over Phillips pointing out a picture of Ike Turner isn't the best way to celebrate Tina when he was an abuser?

I think KB had to do something here. Phillips was calling into question her professionalism and the safeguarding within her school on the basis of no evidence whatsoever. The alternative was to sue her, I suppose. This is cheaper.
the media should put pressure on starmer over this, but they won’t. Starmer does nothing about the bullying in his own ranks. He disgusts me.

I can't understand why Birbalsingh is so het up - maybe I'm missing something? I'm not on Twitter but it looks like Phillips questioned the inclusion of Ike in a photo, which seems reasonable to me.

Writing a 4-page letter to Starmer is over the top - not a good example to set to her pupils by getting so steamed up on social media.

Jess Phillips has too much time on her hands if she can worry about something like this.

it was a mistake which KB apologised for. Phillips used it as a basis for mad suggestions about how she runs her school. I think she’s entitled to take unevidenced slurs on her professional conduct seriously. I know I would.

As a headteacher, she must spend plenty of time dealing with teenagers upset that someone posted something on social media that they didn't like.

I suspect she isn't massively sympathetic to those teens.

The letter is also far too long - she could have benefited from an English teacher helping her edit it.

So KN tweeted a picture of Ike Turner and Tina saying "good times", JP called her out (Ike was a domestic abuser) and then, from what I can see, KB said JP was racist for calling her out?

I don't see how anything JP did could be construed as racism. According to KB's letter, the historic violence that white slave owners committed against black slave women makes all black and mixed race women experts on domestic abuse and therefore anything they say about it must be right?! It's a very weird letter.

Yeah, it was about the Ike Turner thing. Lots of people were calling her out. It’s a little crazy to think Jess Philips had much to do with it. Jess Philips job is to comment on domestic violence and she did, but she didn’t start or promote the pile on.

Katherine Birbalsingh’s side hustle to is winding people up on social media. She’s leveraged controversy to become a minor celebrity.

OTOH I believe her when she says that the nature of the push back is racist - lots of white male controversialists get away with far more than her.

So, to sum up:

KB tweeted a picture of Ike and Tina Turner, and tweeted “Good Times”

JP said (I paraphrase) “what the hell?”

Twitter went nuts (KB is a controversialist on Twitter and doesn’t have many friends there in the first place).

and this somehow means Jess Philipps is a racist?

No, nothing will happen. KB will continue to be KB (incapable of reflection and convinced she is the only person in the world who is right). JP will, thankfully, continue to be JP.

I have absolutely no idea why Birbalsingh (and others like Lawrence Fox) get all the publicity for their idiotic views and posts. They're horrible, horrible people.

Are people missing the bit about Jess Philips essentially saying KB is a terrible headteacher and her school is unsafe? That's the bit KB is objecting to, not that she called out her poor photo choice on twitter.

Why are people determinedly ignoring the fact that JP didn’t just criticise the tweet (which was the result of a mistake and KB apologised ) but used it as a basis to attack her professional competence? How is that ok? Is that how we think MPs should behave?

I can't stand this woman and think the way her school is run sounds bloody awful.

What is it about some people that you can just tell they are or were teachers from their tone?

From what I understand, KB had shared a reel of Tina Turner photos and in the reel was on of Tina with Ike. It seemed like a genuine error. JP shared the tweet and I think used a line from a KB speech and insinuated she was okay with domestic abuse. It’s all very childish and IMO sparked by JP.

Given the absolutely correct raising of the profile of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, Phillips was right to call her out on that picture.

JP wasn't the only one, by a long way.

KB is a professional woman with the lives and futures of many young girls in her hands. She should have known better.

Social media doesn't have to be the place to show off everything. Hey, maybe even pick up a phone and talk? Or am I being too 'old school' with that?

But that doesn't help your profile I guess ...

KB made a mistake, owned it, apologised, and took it down. KB thinks that JP used it as a platform to lay into her for her other beliefs which are polar opposites to JP's.

This. I would not call this the 'mother of owns' her rationale in the letter is frankly bizarre.

It was a mistake. She didn’t mean to include the man in the picture. I am not sure there is any rational conversation to be had with someone who uses that to launch an evidence free attack on one’s professional competence and refuses to apologise when the unacceptability of her behaviour is pointed out to her.

KB tweeted a gif which included an image of IT she says without realising which is completely plausible. JP then said she must support domestic abuse because of it 🙄 it was a cheap, pointless shot and led to people calling for ofsted to inspect her school and for her to lose her job. JP knows what a twitter pile on is and how to cause one, she was completely out of order.

KB appears to be very good at self promotion and being judgmental of others who don’t agree with her. You reap what you sow.

KB has had a chip on her shoulder for as long as I've known her.

She loves the fact she is right wing and loves to constantly talk about how people don't expect her to be right wing because of her race and upbringing.

She even says it on her documentaries about her school.

JP has always been an advocate against domestic abuse.

She called out something with a picture of an abuser.

KP has decided it's all about her race and his JP expects her to be left wing because of her race and the fact she works in education.

It's even in the tweet this is what is determining from JP response.

KP has a chip on her shoulder and her head up her arse. She'd no more respected in the education world than JP is in the Tory party.

I don't think either woman comes out of this well but if JP should quit so should KP. Neither do their professions any good image wise.

Fwiw I don't think either should quit or be sacked. Maybe just grow up

I dont know anything about this particular spat but I thought there had been safeguarding concerns raised about the school in the past? I thought there were concerns about how children with SEN are being managed or how her approach at the school isnt great for kids with vulnerabilities?

Perhaps Im muddling her up with someone else

Thing is this happens ALL the time on both sides of the political spectrum. It's point scoring but not a stackable offence.

I have mixed feelings about KB's schooling. It obviously works in some ways for kids who might otherwise get involved in gangs etc but the level of control is horrendous. On the other hand I like their emphasis on public speaking confidence. I do wonder how they will fare 10+ years later.