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

I see she was interviewed on Talk TV. Did they point out her mistakes?

Or was it just a friendly chat?

Ooh a counter

Lucky me 😬

I am interested in SM a bit but more in a blimey at the way MPs and others go on at each other. Surely there are better ways to use social media

But no Twitter holds no interest as a platform beyond that. If it did I’d be on it.

This is not about Twitter as such - but about the accusation of racism, based on Twitter comments.

Maybe read the posts?

It was chat. She explained herself clearly though.

Did she explain her misunderstandings and inaccuracies in her letter?

Oh hang on, this the headteacher who told the Commons committee on diversity and inclusion on STEM, that it's natural for fewer girls than boys to like maths, because maths is hard. (As opposed to boys, who... what?)

I listened to an interview after Birbalsingh first said this, expecting there to be some nuanced point that was different from how she'd initially come across.

But in the interview, Birbalsingh just doubled down and said that girls didn't like hard maths because they were nurturing by nature. The interviewer (think it might have been Reeta Chakrabarti?) very reasonably asked why people couldn't be nurturing and good at maths.

I'd previously only heard of Michaela school in terms of discipline style, which (depending on the detail) could well find justification on the grounds of different styles suiting different pupils.

But it's quite hard to find a justification for a senior teaching professional in the 2000s seemingly being unaware of the impact of low expectations on girls in STEM subjects.

https://inews.co.uk/news/education/katharine-birbalsingh-girls-physics-hard-maths-female-cambridge-physicist-1636891
Today, Dame Athene told MPs on the Science and Technology Select Committee that Ms Birbalsingh was wrong.
“It would seem to me that probably [Michaela School] just haven’t thought about it,” she said. “The internal messages that girls may believe, if teachers aren’t actively trying to counter that – they may not realise that the girls are being driven by things that aren’t their natural choices.
“There’s a difference between ‘active discouragement’ and ‘not active encouragement’.”
Saying that Michaela School “isn’t keeping an eye” on gender balance, Dame Athene pointed out its female representation for A-level physics is lower [16 per cent] than the national average of 23 per cent taking the subject being female.
“She’s below the curve as it were. I would assume that’s just because it hasn’t been an item on their agenda… It’s not active discouragement, and it’s clearly not bad teachers, but it’s a whole school ethos.”

Sadly, I'm sure Birbalsingh is not the only headteacher with these views.

Depressing.

And the same KB who said that children are born with original sin and needed to be taught to be good

Headteacher faces calls for her job after sparking Original Sin debate | Evening Standard

The Twitter storm was started by a tweet to Birbalsingh which read: “We are all born ‘bad’, that is why it is so important to be morally educated and not just conditioned.”
Birbalsingh replied: “Exactly. Original Sin. Children need to be taught right from wrong and then habituated into choosing good over evil. That requires love and constant correction from all the adults in their lives over YEARS. Moral formation is a good thing.”

Baroness Hussein-Ece, a Lib Dem peer, waded into the debate, saying: “While agree no one is perfect, no child is born hating others, racist & evil. These things are taught or learned by example. I don’t need to quote from any scripture to form the view that love, support & nurturing are key.”
Birbalsingh replied: “Adam and Eve ate an apple. Were they racist? No. Were they evil? No. Did they hate others? Well no one else was about so . . . They are flawed. That’s it.”

Economist Frances Coppola replied to the original Tweet: “The notion that children are “born bad” has been used to justify terrible abuse. Very worrying to see a high-profile head teacher using it. She may not be an abuser herself, but her endorsement of this toxic belief empowers people who are.

...........................

Mm, yes, unfortunate choice to use the term "Original Sin".

Humans are flawed. Children need to learn right from wrong. Both unexceptionable statements.

But Original Sin? That's altogether more sinister, and forms part of a very misogynistic narrative. And as her interlocutors point out, has been used to justify terrible abuses.

But Birbalsingh may just have used the term lightly, without giving thought to the deeper meanings.

You don't know how people find the time to get into Twitter spats.

Yet here you are - having not had the time or inclination to read the spat and get all the information - making an ill informed opinion about one side of it and judgements about that person.

Do you not see the irony of how these posts came about. People making posts having not read the information correctly and stating opinion as fact.

I believe the opposite about how people are born.

I think everyone is born good. They learn negative behaviours through conditioning and life experience and learn negative opinions the same way.

They do all need nurturing and correction but in most cases children learn this through everyday interactions. It's why those who are struggling with unproductive behaviours need extra nurture and support and for the adults to find what they are communicating and what needs aren't being met.

Very eloquently described by Birbalsingh about what a nasty bully Phillips is. The way she behaved is exactly how playground bullies behave. And the racism is actually quite obvious. It doesn’t take much for the mask to skip and for the ‘progressives’ on the left to show their true face.

On another note, Phillips could learn a thing or two from Birbalsingh about how to communicate effectively. Rather than scream and shout at people.

You can lecture me all you like for not signing up. It‘s really not going to work.

I mean why do you care so much. When I look stuff up I get a big text box asking me to join. I don’t care that much to do so

You’ll have to get over it. Nearly everyone spends time on Twitter but it’s not obligatory yet, but I’m sure Musk will thank you.

The op put a link, I read that. If it’s too low on detail for you send them an email otherwise quit caring what SM others use. It’s pointless.

I can access YouTube though and she puts forward a good argument.

It’s more measured and compelling than people flinging angry tweets

Sunny I'm not on Twitter either. But I spent time reading what everyone else has posted here about what's been said and the screenshots. And you can find the information online without being on Twitter.

The pint here is that KB is just as bad as JP with regards publicly "calling people out". But in this case KB has written a letter in response that's filled with inaccuracies.

Watching the "interview" - this is not an interview.
This is a chat.
The interview has clear bias.

KB is at risk of being sued.

I don’t think I have misunderstood

KB put up an image, people responded including angry tweets from JP - that’s correct still isn’t it? If not say why without sniping or insult

I asked pp who said it was wrong what the timeline was but I don’t think they answered

I took the time to read the link in the op and I’m pretty sure that screen shot of the tweet was only just put up after some questions

My initial thought was why is an MP engaging with a HT in that way and KB says in that YouTube video ‘I mean who am I?’ and why is JP so angry, calling me ‘that Head teacher’ and involving 630k followers

Which I agree with. People get angry on here but when it’s your professional name on Twitter maybe take a moment to think what it is you’re doing

Not challenged about the GIF mistake
Not challenged about the timeline
Not challenged about the Aslan misreading

Just a friendly chat.

I think you need to read the thread - and then maybe you will understand.

The "hold the line bit" - at the Nat C conference, KB was talking that people should live the values they believe in and they should "Hold the line". JP strongly believes in preventing DV and used the word "Hold the line"

I suspect you have biases as well.

My initial thought was why is an MP engaging with a HT in that way and KB says in that YouTube video ‘I mean who am I?’ and why is JP so angry, calling me ‘that Head teacher’ and involving 630k followers

Have you seen the tweets and read what actually happened?

Or are you just watching the "interview" on GB News and taking that at truth?

Maybe KB wants to be sued?

Sued over what?

She certainly wants attention.

She shouldn’t be dragging her school into it by using their letterhead.

Writing a defamatory letter.

Libel?
Slander?

People have been sued for false accusations on Twitter before.
Hopkins being one such example

There is plenty of evidence to show the letter is full of inaccuracies.

This doesn’t refute what I’ve said happened though

KB put up a tweet and people responded including JP

If there’s extra anger over a speaking engagement, well I’d still not get that embroiled and angrily tweet

People hit out at those who take up headspace for whatever reason. You don’t have to though as an MP