Allie from Brighton raises an interesting point. She accuses me of disrespecting other people's beliefs. This was, needless to say, apropos of my article in the TES. The question is, should we accord respect to every point of view, even if we regard it as incorrect or or a bit screwy? I happen to regard, for instance, homeopathy as little better than raving lunacy. Should I just let others get on with this belief system, saying in effect, "It's none of my business"? Similarly, if I regard autonomous education as questionable and perhaps ineffective in many cases, is it really any affair of mine?
I suppose that if an adult wishes to follow some crank system like homeopathy, it is a matter of personal choice. If they wish to hazard their children's health by following this absurd practice, then I feel that any concerned person has a right to offer an opinion. It seems to me to be the same with autonomous education. If one feels that here is a strange idea which might deprive a large number of children of a good education, then I cannot for the life of me see why I should remain silent.
I have to say that as a home educator, many people have expressed the view that I must be a bit bonkers and that I am harming my child by pursuing this course of action. Why on earth should I object to this? I think that I am right, they think that I am muddle headed and wrong. I just cannot see why I should feel that they are being disrespectful, as Allie puts it, by holding their view that I am wrong. After all, for all I know to the contrary I may indeed be wrong.
It is, I think, because the welfare of children is involved in the matter of home education that I feel that I am entitled to speak my mind. I may of course be quite wrong in my views; it would not be the first time! But to feel, as Allie does, that it is wrong to say these things because they may cause offence is in my opinion too feeble for words. If I see somebody striking a child I will certainly speak out against it. Should I stay quiet for fear of disrespecting their belief in the virtues of physical abuse? I don't think so. Or if somebody is following a crank diet and not allowing their children to eat properly, is that my business? I am thinking here about some macrobiotic freaks in the States whose children developed beri beri. In those circumstances, faced with a choice of "disrespecting" their beliefs and rescuing a child from a potentially fatal illness, I know which I think is the greater evil.
I am not of course suggesting for a moment that autonomous education is in any way comparable to the cases I outline above, but the principle is the same.
I certainly wouldn't argue that all belief systems deserve equal respect. But this is all about degrees, isn't it? Some things are objectionable/dangerous enough to warrant speaking out against them. Those things do not deserve respect. Other things may not be the choice we'd make for our own child or family, we probably think that our own choices are better ones, but we need not say so. We can recognise that freedom for people to make their own choices is a valuable thing and there is value in diversity. (Weren't you saying that in another post?) We certainly need not make snide comments - like calling someone's choice 'bizarre' - in a national newspaper at a time when people making that choice are feeling under threat...
ReplyDeleteIf autonomous education isn't in any way comparable to the other cases you state then maybe it isn't something you need to be overly concerned about slating in a newspaper? I don't think it's disrespectful to hold a contrary opinion but I do think it is disrespectful to act as you did.
If autonomous education were 'just' a belief, I might possibly agree with you, but it isn't. It is a well reasoned educational theory supported by many years of observation, experience and research. It's a bit pointless ranting and raving against a supposed belief whilst ignoring any evidence that doesn't agree with your opinion, though I can see why you might get on well with Badman as he seems to have taken the same approach in his review. All I can say, is thank goodness people like you are not responsible for medical research! I believe there is a group of MPs who campaign for evidence based legislation. Maybe we should try and interest them in this area.
ReplyDeleteAm I given to ranting and raving, Sharon? You may be right about this. I suppose I might get on with Badman. It's hard to say; I only met him once for half an hour. He seemed OK to me. I am not ignoring evidence, I am actively seeking it. So far, the evidence that autonomous education is a well reasoned educational theory seems pretty thin on the ground. Unless you are talking about anecdotal evidence, but I'm quite sure you would not be doing so. The original reason that I joined the EO and HE-UK lists was to find out about AE. I wasn't massively impressed with either the evidence base nor, to be brutally candid, the calibre of those undertaking the enterprise
ReplyDeleteYou joined email lists to carry out research into an education theory? Well, that says it all really.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't even join autonomous education email lists! Really, words fail me, and that's saying a lot as I'm sure you realise.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, Simon, that I'm not surprised to read this,
ReplyDelete"I wasn't massively impressed with ... the calibre of those undertaking the enterprise"
I suspect that for those of us not fortunate enough to actually be Simon Webb, the only hope is to be as like him as possible, so that he can recognise our high calibre and afford us some respect. You could try having a touch of humility and wonder if, just perhaps, you got a very limited and partial view of autonomous education (and educators) from your interactions on the lists.
Sharon, I had no need to join any AE lists because my wife already belonged to a couple. It was to see if the mainstream lists had anything a little more sensible to say on the subject that I joined EO and HE-UK. Trying to find out about something by asking those involved to explain why they hold the views that they do has always stood me in good stead. It is called relying upon primary evidence. I don't regard this as research, I do it every day whether I am talking to a barber, crossing sweeper or parent who educates autonomously. Research suggests something little more systematic. I joined the lists because I thought the idea inherently implausible and what I had seen on the lists of which my wife was a member did not impress me. I wanted to find out more. Some would call this being open minded and curious.
ReplyDeleteSome would call basing you opinions on hearsay evidence whilst ignoring valid research evidence sloppy thinking. You claim to dislike sloppy thinking. Evidence based medicine seems about as far away from sloppy thinking as you can get, so maybe you ought to start applying those principles?
ReplyDeleteTalking to home educating parents is not hearsay evidence. It might perhaps not inaptly be termed anecdotal evidence, but certainly not hearsay.
ReplyDeleteHearsay evidence: evidence based not on a witness's personal knowledge but on another's statement not made under oath.
ReplyDeleteShould have added that your use of this as 'evidence' is hearsay.
ReplyDeleteWhat did good old Badman tell you durning your meeting with did he give you an A star for doing homee eudcation the right way? you could have asked him how much did he get paid for his rubbish review? How come you get to met him but others including home educated children where just ingored by Graham?
ReplyDeleteYes Sharon, my opinion about what an autonomous educator is doing is definitely hearsay. What the person herself said is not.
ReplyDeleteOK, so it should have read,
ReplyDeleteSome would call basing you opinions on anecdotal evidence and using hearsay in an attempt to sway others to your opinion whilst ignoring valid research evidence sloppy thinking. You claim to dislike sloppy thinking. Evidence based medicine seems about as far away from sloppy thinking as you can get, so maybe you ought to start applying those principles?
Is that better?