What does Nicky Morgan not seem to understand?

[theluckiest]

Nicky Morgan urges teachers' unions to 'do their bit' www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35899478

No Nicky, teaching is not wonderful at the moment. No, teachers are not just moaning yet again (because that's what we usually do, isn't it?). No, your constant interfering, moving of goalposts and unnecessary 'reforms' are not helping anyone. In fact, you are damaging education irreparably.

Here's an example: the 'more rigorous' testing that you insist all 11 year olds should be put through are actually damaging. They are demoralising teachers but much more importantly, they are seriously damaging children's mental health. Yes, really. The stress these children are being put under is unforgivable this year. As a school we are held to ransom because of these tests (let's be honest, tests that we teachers, parents and schools know are bullshit).

They feel like they have failed already because your 'rigour' is inappropriate, unnecessary and completely pointless. They despise learning this nonsense and I can't blame them. At a time of their lives when learning should be exciting, they are force-fed inaccurate, archaic grammar and given the message that their writing cannot be good enough if it doesn't have a semi-colon.

Sounds crazy doesn't it? Because it is. So forgive me if I don't "Use the tools available to them to build up teachers, promote the profession and tell the story of what a rewarding job teaching really is" at the moment. (how I laughed when I read that one!!)

And don't get me started on academisation....Nicky, take your fingers out of your ears and listen. Before it's too late.

Trussell Trust Foodbanks are a Christian charity. It's well publicised.

So are street pastors, and school pastors, who receive funding from police forces, amongst other sources.

I'm genuinely sorry if you you think I've used jargon - these are commen terms in the world I live in!

So basically, you'll trust anyone or anything that's not an LA, yes?

Not at all - there are some fabulous LAs 😀

PrettyBrightFireflies
"Not at all - there are some fabulous LAs"

Which if I'm not mistaken brings us round full circle, as to why should all schools be forced to become academies, when there is no benefit to be had?

Camden council are reportedly looking to set up their own MAT so that they can keep doing what they are doing successfully. Their schools don't want to academise and join random MATs so this is how they are planning to get around the new rules.

schoolsweek.co.uk/camden-could-be-first-council-to-form-multi-academy-trust/

What a stupid waste of time.

Brighton are doing it too

Which if I'm not mistaken brings us round full circle, as to why should all schools be forced to become academies, when there is no benefit to be had?

Maybe none.

But I don't feel a visceral emotional response against it.

It's politics. I accept that the Government currently in power take the decisions they do because they believe it is in the best interests of the country.

It's not as if every Tory MP will personally benefit in some way.
And, if they feel strongly enough they can leave the party or rebel against the party whip. They won't get shot.

If a majority of democratically elected MPs decide independently that they agree with the proposals in the White Paper, it'll become law. I think making those decisions must be bloody difficult. So I'm not going to condemn someone for supporting what they believe is the right thing to do even if I disagree with it - I was part of the process that decided who was going to make those decisions. As it happens, not enough people agreed with me, so the people making the decisions aren't the ones I would choose. But it's still a bloody hard job - whoever does it.

Those MPs were voted in by electorates up and down the country and can be voted out again.

Trussell Trust Foodbanks are a Christian charity. It's well publicised.

Yes I think most people who refer to them know that. But families who've never been unlucky enough to need a food bank may not be aware - until they have to use one.

And what isn't so well publicised is the fact that they will offer to pray for people who are on the bones of their arse, some of whom have told me they don't like it but feel they can't say no as they think they might not get their food.

If MPs believe forcing all schools to become academies is the right thing to do,, one would assume they came to that view through a knowledge and understanding of the evidence that that is indeed the case.

So why don't they share that evidence with the electorate (a great many of whom did not vote for them)? Why not convince people it's the right thing to do by using the same facts and information they themselves used when they came to the decision to force this legislation on every school in the country?

And what isn't so well publicised is the fact that they will offer to pray for people who are on the bones of their arse, some of whom have told me they don't like it but feel they can't say no as they think they might not get their food.

They may feel like that but is there any evidence that is actually the case?

It's not a new model. The church has always used 'good deeds' to spread the word, globally, for thousands of years.

If there is enough disquiet about it from society, then presumably there is scope for a secular Food Bank charity?

one would assume they came to that view through a knowledge and understanding of the evidence that that is indeed the case.

Why would you assume that?

It may be how you make decisions but other people trust their instinct, or base decisions on their own experiences.

hustings and debates between political candidates can reveal far more about how they will operate than manifestos ever will.

It's politics. I accept that the Government currently in power take the decisions they do because they believe it is in the best interests of the country.

Like the disability cuts which IDS confirmed were for political rather than economic reasons?

That's a really good example, giraffe.
IDS spoke out. He knew the risks of doing so, but felt strongly enough to accept the consequence.

To me, that's an example of the political system working the way it's designed to.

And enough MPs are willing to do the same and vote against - these plans won't become law, regardless of what NM says, unless we become a dictatorship.

Am I the only person who is cynical enough to believe that govt doesn't necessarily do what they think is best for the country? Maybe best for sections of the electorate that they target, or best for groups that they are ideologically aligned to, but not necessarily best for the country as a whole.

No, you're not the only one, speak - it's almost impossible to meet the conflicting needs of everybody. I'm not naive enough to think that the governments place equal value on all sections of society - proven through the IDS debacle.

But making decisions to benefit their voters, or those whose values they share, is very different from making decisions for self-benefit.

Well, on that basis, I suppose children don't vote, & teachers on the whole don't vote Tory, so that'll explain why their policies don't benefit either group?

Well, I wouldn't put that past them either! Just look at the pay rises they award themselves, and the previous expenses scandals, where even those who stuck to the rules profited. Cash for questions, cash for peerages... too many things to believe that self-interest is something they all manage to repress.

too many things to believe that self-interest is something they all manage to repress.

Says a lot about who the majority vote for, doesn't it?

They may feel like that but is there any evidence that is actually the case?

That's irrelevant. What matters is how the experience made them feel. So if they tell me they were worried that if they didn't sit down with a volunteer to pray they might not get their food, I'm not going to start asking them what research they've done. These are vulnerable people, pretty. They should be able to go in, get their food and come out again.

Rather than suggesting someone start a "secular food bank" , what do you think of the suggestion that the volunteers pray for all the clients at the end of the day when the food bank is closed? Seeing as I've told them offers of prayers make some of our families feel uncomfortable, wouldn't you expect them to see what they could do to alleviate their unease?

Unless the praying is a non-negotiable, part of the service, in which case we''re back to speaknowords concern, where organisations come with an agenda and won't adapt that for their clients.

Without re-hashing the post election debate, an absolute majority did not vote for the current govt. More people didn't vote for them than did, but that's FPTP for you.

Unless the praying is a non-negotiable, part of the service, in which case we''re back to speaknowords concern, where organisations come with an agenda and won't adapt that for their clients.

Well, yes, that's the point, isn't it? Their motives influence how they run it.

But if enough people in society are uncomfortable about it, then they could stop donating goods and money to a charity whose ethos they disagree with

And people will just have to put up with it if there isn't enough noise made to set up and run an alternative? Nice.

And people will just have to put up with it if there isn't enough noise made to set up and run an alternative?

Well. Yes! If someone identifies a need and chooses to fill it, then how they fill it is up to them, and up to donators and funders whether they choose to support it or not.

The Trussell Trust isn't a brilliant example because it doesn't receive any pubic funding, if the youth clubs I mentioned upthread were praying with the young people, they would lose their funding because it would be against the terms of their funding agreement. But they could still run if they found funding from elsewhere.

This isn't about the people who donate to food banks.

It's about the clients - you know, vulnerable people who are in such crisis that they can't even afford to feed their families.

Apologies, I thought that was very obvious from my first post about this problem.

It's about the clients - you know, vulnerable people who are in such crisis that they can't even afford to feed their families.

But the only people who are concerned enough about those clients to help them have placed their own values on the service they deliver.