Hello ToryBot.
I am not another child's parent. I am my child's parent.
I am a unique free thinking individual.
Free thinking individuals, that do not always conform are what historically, have made our country great.
I believe that education is essential. I also believe that education comes in many forms and can and should be done by parents and teachers. Indeed, the role of parents in education around the world repeatedly comes up as one of the biggest factors in high attainment.
Yet the ethos here is that parents should be seen and not heard and it is only teachers who have a valued role in education.
Instead of dealing with actual problems in attendance, schools are becoming factory production lines where children are processed rather than catering and considering individuals needs. And if teachers complain they don't have the time to do this, I seriously wonder what they are there for, because education is about the development of children. If teachers don't have the time, then something is going seriously wrong somewhere and it needs to be addressed.
We have a massive problem in this country with mental health. And we make this worse by not recognising the importance of mental health. We do this by not having adequate mental health services and not having a national debate about ways we can improve the nations mental health by other means. We do not record data on the state of our children's mental health.
Our European counterparts have the advantage where many can take a car journey and pop over the border to see their neighbours and soak up another culture. We don't have the same luxury by virtue of being an island, so we are rather more 'held hostage' by airlines, ferry companies and Euro-tunnel pricing. This is something of a national disadvantage. Of course this is not valued by Tory Leavers and Kippers, but an exchange of views is good for creativity, which is what this country is good at and should be encouraged.
ToryBot, I view parents as humans. Not statistics. If children are failing at school, its not due to the fact they are going on holiday is it? Can we possibly find some evidence for that, and also have a measure for their emotional wellbeing too as that's only fair.
If children are failing at school, perhaps we should address that issue. Perhaps we should address why they are truant rather and schools SHARE responsibility rather than merely blaming parents or treating them as naughty children, when many in that situation actually need support and advise themselves for various reasons. Fining them is only making a bad situation worse.
ToryBot exams are not everything. I would rather my son was a B or C grade student who was happy, fulfilled, well rounded and full of enthusiam for life rather than an A* student who had a very narrow view of the world, that was only academic and they were stressed, miserable and burnt out.
ToryBot, I demand the freedom to have the life I think my family should have and the future they deserve as your version and definition of success is most definitely not mine.
Incidentally I think there are a fair few LabourBots about too, who got very carried away with targets in school too, so don't think you are special ToryBot. I have my own special venom for them too.