I have remarked several times before, that I have never seen any need personally to say anything on the Internet without signing my real name to it. Anonymous messages always smack to me of poison pen letters. Still, I am in a minority when it comes to this view; most people prefer to hide behind a pseudonym when posting, both here and elsewhere, about home education. This, combined with an almost obsessive desire for secrecy by some, is starting to cause serious divisions among home educators in this country.
As readers are probably aware, a small group of individuals are working with Graham Stuart MP and also possibly Nick Gibb, the Schools' Minister, to draft guidelines for local authorities about elective home education. This is a worthy enough enterprise, but they have chosen to do it in secret and conceal their identities. Why they should carry on like that is a complete mystery to me. According to one of those involved, albeit in the minor role of proofreading, the whole thing is run like a secret society, divided up into cells, the members of which do not know the identities of those engaged in other parts of the operation! This sounds very strange.
I have been receiving emails lately from those who are either opposed to this scheme, or, which is equally likely, part of it and trying to throw people off the trail of the identities of those who are actually involved. For example on November 12th a had an email from kayceeb@cheerful.com headed 'financial motive?' It said; ' You may be interested in the business accounts of Mrs Anon.' Enclosed as an attachment were Alison Sauer's accounts. Somebody had gone to the trouble of paying for these and then sending them to me with the untruthful statement that Alison Sauer was actually Mrs Anon who comments here regularly. I have to say that Kaycee, who is fairly well known elesewhere claims that this was not sent by her. What is fairly plain is that some people in the home educating world are intent upon causing mischief one way and another and the way that this is being done is through more anonymous messages.
On the BRAG list, somebody calling herself Georgie Eden popped up. She seemed to know an awful lot about the business with Graham Stuart but vanished as soon as people asked her who she really was. Another case of anonymity causing problems and suspicion. I honestly think that it would be a good idea if those in the world of home education thought seriously about being a bit more open and revealing their true names. People talk of 'outing' people, as though home education were some shameful perversion to which people are reluctant to admit. I have never felt that way myself!
Another problem is that posting anonymously encourages rudeness. Consider this gem of incisive invective, posted here a few days ago;
''Simon you are a muddle headed bufoon with breath like an pigs bottom '
I seriously doubt whether anybody would say such a thing over their real name. Mind you, to be fair if I were unable to compose a short sentence without two spelling mistakes and two grammatical errors, I would probably be too ashamed to sign it either!
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The incisive invective has a Shakespearian feel, I would say. Or perhaps Marlowe... Oh dear, another literary conundrum!
ReplyDeleteTotally wrong. When I googled the insult itself I came up with none other than Captain Haddock as a close match. Get Tintin on to this, Simon.
ReplyDeletehttp://members.fortunecity.com/tintinsnowy/characters/abuses.html
"Anonymous messages always smack to me of poison pen letters."
ReplyDeleteWikipeadia defines a poison pen letter as a letter or note containing unpleasant, abusive or malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or a third party that may or may not be anonymous. Why do you feel the need to re-define them as anything posted anonymously? Many of your anonymous commentators do not writing 'poison pen letter' type comments and are quite probably writing anonymously to avoid being made a target for ridicule or 'analysis' on your blog.
Dear Simon,
ReplyDeleteIf you read back you will find that the offensive comment was a light hearted attempt to test your assertion that this blog was not moderated.
If this did not come through then I apologise.
I made it up on the spur of the moment and was intended to be obviously a piss take of Blackadder or some such.
I do always sign off my posts with my real name too.
Yours,
Darren Stuart Elgar - age 41 living in Dover - all the best!!
What I want to know - rather than trying to solve the impossible (ie who said what to whom etc) is what is in the Education Bill - which I believe is out this week?
ReplyDelete'is what is in the Education Bill - which I believe is out this week?'
ReplyDeleteNothing about home education that anybody seems to have heard so far. Mind you, it is a long document and there might be something hidden away in the fine print.
Yes - I have just checked back, this is what I said in full.
ReplyDeleteSimon you are a muddle headed bufoon with breath like an pigs bottom (just checking that there is no moderation)
Darren
So you have selectively quoted me Simon and distorted my meaning and you said that I did not sign it with my real name when I did.
All the best
Darren
Simon you are a muddle headed bufoon with breath like an pigs bottom - and I'm not anonymous!
ReplyDelete'Simon you are a muddle headed bufoon with breath like an pigs bottom - and I'm not anonymous!'
ReplyDeleteNor are you apparently able to select the correct indefinitie article not use possessive apostrophes.
'Simon you are a muddle headed bufoon with breath like an pigs bottom (just checking that there is no moderation)
ReplyDeleteDarren
So you have selectively quoted me Simon and distorted my meaning and you said that I did not sign it with my real name when I did.'
Ending an insult by saying, ' (just checking that there is no moderation)', hardly lessons the effect. Let's try and see how it goes;
Derren, you are an ill mannered moron (Just checking that my keyboard is working OK)
See what I mean?
You're a bit tetchy today aren't you Simon?
ReplyDeleteI notice you don't deny the fact that you selectively quoted what I said and therefore distorted its meaning. Nor that I did sign off with my real name even though you said that I didn't.
So an apology would be nice.
All the best
Darren
Sorry we cross-posted.
ReplyDeleteThe two examples you give are not the same. By putting in brackets that I was checking that there was no moderation and be making the 'insult' faintly ridiculous it seemed clear to me that the insult was not intended, but it would be one way of checking if you moderated the blog or not.
In your example there are many ways of checking that the keyboard is working other than insulting me, the insult is not required.
Do you see the difference?
Anyway, I have said that I did not mean to insult you and it was supposed to be light hearted and I have aopologised, and I aopologise again if you have been hurt.
You also said that I posted anonomously, which I din't. I signed off with my real name.
So you are wrong on two counts.
All the best
Darren
To spell apologise wrongly once may be regarded as misfortune, to spell it wrong twice looks like carelessness.:)
ReplyDeleteDarren
Blood from a stone, Darren, blood from a stone...
ReplyDeleteSo is kadijah amin your alias or is it someone pretending to be you, pretending to be someone else?
ReplyDeleteCuriouser and curiouser...
Someone, somewhere loves their games!
Webb.
ReplyDeleteGeorgie did not leave BRAG because people asked who she really was. Georgie made a suggestion to supplant negative invective with a positive strategy. It was rejected by those that preferred the former.
Your cognitive reference frame is probably beyond restoration in this lifetime. A Buddhist retreat for several years or praying for redemption might help.
With due salutations from over here,
Georgie Eden
'Georgie made a suggestion to supplant negative invective with a positive strategy. It was rejected by those that preferred the former.
ReplyDeleteYour cognitive reference frame is probably beyond restoration in this lifetime.'
Did you just write nromally and then put that through a thesaurus and change each word individually? Or perhaps you ran it through an online translation site a couple of times and then back to English? Maybe that's why it looks so weird?
Margaret
'Did you just write nromally and then put that through a thesaurus and change each word individually?'
ReplyDeleteI have myself puzzled over the question of how any human being could possibly produce prose like this, Margaret. If you lokk at the BRAG site, you will find that this individual writes fluently in this style for pages. Some people on BRAG have asked for a translation. Have a look at the Kelly Green and Gold blog and see if it is not very similar. My theory is that the two people are one and the same.
Anyway, enough of this. I will be offline for the next few years, as I am going to a Buddhist monastery to pray for redemption. It is to be hoped that I shall be able to achieve this in my present lifetime, whatever Georgie says to the contrary.
Surely the Dons at Oxford will henceforth exude such pride in their protégée. Presumably Shakespeare would engender a brain fusing for Webb.
ReplyDeleteSursum Corda
Georgie Eden
'Surely the Dons at Oxford will henceforth exude such pride in their protégée. Presumably Shakespeare would engender a brain fusing for Webb.'
ReplyDeleteWas I at Oxford? More research needed about this! And what on earth is meant by, 'a brain fusing for Webb'? Perhaps this is a deliberate pastiche by somebody in the style of Georgie Eden.
By the way, for those who are not regular communicants, Sursum corda is the bit during the eucharist where the priest says in English, 'Lift up your hearts', to which the congregation's correct response is, 'We lift them to the Lord'. This has not generally been said in latin since the mid 1960s. Why georgie thought it necessary or appropriate to throw this expression into her comment is in itself something of a mystery!
ReplyDeleteAhhh. I will help little Margaret.
ReplyDelete“Georgie made a suggestion to supplant negative invective with a positive strategy. It was rejected by those that preferred the former. “
Goergie said something that she hoped people might have recognized as a good thing for everyone to do instead of arguing with each other. But people like arguing and decided fighting was better.
“Your cognitive reference frame is probably beyond restoration in this lifetime.”
The way in which you have trained your brain to work during your life means that it probably cannot be put right now.
Love to everyone
Noddy
Nobody was not suggesting that you went to Oxford.
ReplyDeleteShe's right. It is your dodgy cognitive reference frame at work again mate.
'Nobody was suggesting that you went to Oxford'
ReplyDeleteCuriouser and curiouser, as Alice said. Georgie commented;
'Surely the Dons at Oxford will henceforth exude such pride in their protégée. Presumably Shakespeare would engender a brain fusing for Webb.'
Who actually is this protegee for whom the Oxford Dons will exhude pride? Only two people are referred to; namely me and Shakespeare. If it is not me, then who might Georgie be thinking of? Why would these Dons exhude pride, unless for a former pupil? It is these gnomic statements which make it very hard to follow what she is trying to say. I may well have a dodgy cognitive framework and perhaps that accounts for why I cannot see what she is driving at here. Can anybody put this in plain English?
Why didn't it occur to you that she was referring to herself as you had acknowledged her ability with prose. Three of here and thats how we all read it.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare didnt go to Oxford
ReplyDeleteI reckon Shes onto something simon. your brain doesnt work very well. Its not normal anyways
ReplyDeleteSo the assumption is that Georgie Eden is claiming to have been to Oxford and is asserting that the Dons who taught her there would be proud of her? I wonder why she could not just say this? Perhaps somebody could also help to interpret;
ReplyDelete'Presumably Shakespeare would engender a brain fusing for Webb.'
This is a real poser and I would be grateful for any help in puzzling it out!
'Shakespeare didnt go to Oxford'
ReplyDeleteThis is quite true and another reason that i supposed her to be talking of me.
'I reckon Shes onto something simon. your brain doesnt work very well. Its not normal anyways'
Possibly Anonymous, possibly.
She could have been just avin a laugh Like it was joke mate
ReplyDeleteBut I think your the joke
an Im glad you werent my dad otherwise id have home educted you abit
if you know what i mean
I read the link but closed the browser and forgot who it said about
ReplyDeleteSo who's the tosser on here then
'She could have been just avin a laugh Like it was joke mate
ReplyDeleteBut I think your the joke
an Im glad you werent my dad otherwise id have home educted you abit
if you know what i mean '
One hesitates to guess, but this sounds very much like Kaycee.
'So who's the tosser on here then'
I assume that this question is purely rhetorical?
"By the way, for those who are not regular communicants, Sursum corda is the bit during the eucharist where the priest says in English, 'Lift up your hearts', to which the congregation's correct response is, 'We lift them to the Lord'. This has not generally been said in latin since the mid 1960s. Why georgie thought it necessary or appropriate to throw this expression into her comment is in itself something of a mystery!"
ReplyDeleteSee your brain aint normal. Anyone else can see that she was saying 'Cheer up mate'
Think you shaould down a few pints and like chill
right so the poncy tosser is the one called simon
ReplyDelete"Perhaps this is a deliberate pastiche by somebody in the style of Georgie Eden."
ReplyDeleteAfter you possible foray onto a list calling yourself 'kadijah amin' I'm beginning to wonder if you aren't Georgie, Simon. It would certainly explain why one of your first thoughts when 'she' posts here is that someone is faking her comments. Your analysis of Georgie's posts displays your language analysis skills. How difficult would it be for you to produce the text in the first place?
' How difficult would it be for you to produce the text in the first place?'
ReplyDeleteI might be able to produce stuff like that in the odd sentence, but not the reams of material that she posted on BRAG.
"After you possible foray onto a list calling yourself 'kadijah amin' I'm beginning to wonder if you aren't Georgie, Simon."
ReplyDeleteHe could not even fake Goergie his language skills, reasoned thinking skills and intellect are no match for Georgie. That is why he doesn't like her and tries to rubbish everything she says. I think she made a better contribution in two days the he has made in years of writing daily drivel. I for one would like to see her back again. And I am not alone.
Tosser webb.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like people hear dont l,ike you So why dont you get the message and sling yer hook
"I for one would like to see her back again."
ReplyDeleteEndorsed
Nigh time in Canada and no Georgie. Wonder if she is sleeping?
ReplyDelete"I might be able to produce stuff like that in the odd sentence, but not the reams of material that she posted on BRAG."
ReplyDeleteOhh, you do yourself an injustice. We can see from your previous work and your analysis of Georgie's post that this would not be difficult. You've gone into great detail about why it looks like Kelly Green's writing so why would you not be able to produce something in that style? If you can convincingly write an article about the current existence of dinosaurs and also write as a woman, I'm sure you could manage the odd email list comment. Though maybe the time it takes to create them is the reason for Georgie's short appearance?
No comment on your appearance as kadijah amin?
It certainly sounds like you:
I love the assumption that because I am able to string a few words together into
an articulate sentence, that I must be middle class! This says far more about
the writer's prejudices than it does about my own view of class. I have no idea
how Kaycee punctuates; indeed, until I received the email, I was scarcely aware
of her existence. This is hardly the place to debate the matter in any case.
'Tosser webb.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like people hear dont l,ike you So why dont you get the message and sling yer hook'
Two points strike me here. Firstly of course, this is my blog and if people don't like it, then the remedy is surely for them to sling their hooks rather than me to sling mine.
The second point is the curious use of the expression, 'sling yer hook'. Now I grew up in East London and it is quite true that if you heard somebody saying this, it would sound like 'Sling yer hook'. However, not only is it years since I actually heard this being said in real life, I hvae never seen the word 'your' rendered into phonetic terms like this. This sounds more like an eduated person's idea of how a member of the lumpenproletariat might speak, rather than a genuine working class person. Very fishy! It is as though some middle class type has watched an old Ealing comedy and decided to emulate the way of speech of a minor cockney villain.
'
'No comment on your appearance as kadijah amin?'
ReplyDeleteI am going to make a long post on this tomorrow, called Guilt by Association. Briefly, I have to gather information from the HE-UK list by getting others to forward it to me. I am unable to post there, because nobody wants to appear to be connected with me. I asked a home educating mother in Ilford, where I grew up and visit often, if she would post a response to me to what was being said. Her English is not wonderful and so she simply put it up without a covering explanation. The result is that she has been kicked off the HE-UK list. I shall go into more detail tomorrow as it is an interesting anecdote and I don't want to provide too many spoilers this morning!
"Ohh, you do yourself an injustice. We can see from your previous work and your analysis of Georgie's post that this would not be difficult. "
ReplyDeleteSimon is clearly not Georgie the lady whoo railed against LEA's in defence of Home edders when he writes a book telling the LEAS to introduce registration.
Why do you put up with him?
'Ohh, you do yourself an injustice. We can see from your previous work and your analysis of Georgie's post that this would not be difficult. '
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't say that it would be impossible, but I loathe writing in an illiterate style! I cannot imagine what my motive would be for trying to get others to devise 'Five Sanctities', unless just to tie them up in a time wasting exercise for the sake of it.
'Why do you put up with him?'
ReplyDeleteWell of course, people don't need to put up with me. They can simply avoid this blog! I won't be the least bit offended if I find that some of the readers here have started to dodge me like a leper. By the way, have you actually read the book which I wrote? If not, how do you know what it contains?
Since it's against list rules to forward messages it's only right that she has been kicked off - if that's what really happened. Why you would bother to do this through an intermediary is beyond me. Why on earth wouldn't you sign up for a free email account and join the list with it? It seems much more likely that this is what you did and one method is as bad as the other so why bother lying? In fact, it's probably morally worse to persuade someone else to forward list messages to you than to sign up with a false name! You have very strange ideas about morality if you think it's 'better' that you get others to forward messages to you, involving them in breaking list rules with the risk that they will be kicked off the list, than to sign up with a false name yourself.
ReplyDelete'the lady whoo railed against '
ReplyDeleteAnother example of somebody trying to present as being very working class. Note the crazy spelling of a simple three letter word to suggest illiteracy, combined with the use of the expression, 'railed against'
I hvae never in all my life heard any working class person complain that somebody 'railed against' a local authority! There is a rumour that Kaycee is really only a sock puppet of Tania berlow's. I thought this sounded a little mad, but has anybody here actually met Kaycee? Or is she only known from her online comments?
>Why do you put up with him?
ReplyDeleteIn today's post he takes things from BRAG and uses it against H.E's and now he promises to do the same tomorrow with another list. Why don't you realize the harm he is doing to HE just to promote his book.
Throw him off BRAG. Whoever is providing this man with material for his rancid propaganda from other lists is despicable and hurts the name of HE just as much as him
DH
>Since it's against list rules to forward messages it's only right that she has been kicked off
ReplyDeleteYeahh go for it
'It seems much more likely that this is what you did and one method is as bad as the other so why bother lying? '
ReplyDeleteWell I don't think that you need to concern yourself overmuch with my morals, Mike. If I had started a free email account in a false identity, then I would be a bit of a chump to post a message from myself without at least some sort of explanation. It does not make sense. I have been content just to read the HE-UK list and what made me wish to put up my view was that people there had been discussing me by name. This ties in with what I have said in the past about censorship; that some blogs and lists chuck me off and then allow others to spread lies about me.
>'Ohh, you do yourself an injustice. We can see from your previous work and your analysis of Georgie's post that this would not be difficult. '
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't say that it would be impossible, but I loathe writing in an illiterate style! I cannot imagine what my motive would be for trying to get others to devise 'Five Sanctities', unless just to tie them up in a time wasting exercise for the sake of it.<
Oh how the Marxist proletariat loathe intellectuals
'Simon is clearly not Georgie the lady whoo railed against LEA's in defence of Home edders when he writes a book telling the LEAS to introduce registration. '
ReplyDeleteNote how he choose to avoid this challenge!
'Oh how the Marxist proletariat loathe intellectuals'
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of you to say this, but even my bitterest and most inveterate enemy would not describe me as an intellectual!
"Well, I don't say that it would be impossible, but I loathe writing in an illiterate style! I cannot imagine what my motive would be for trying to get others to devise 'Five Sanctities', unless just to tie them up in a time wasting exercise for the sake of it."
ReplyDeleteYou have nerve to call her illiterate. She made more sense than you have ever ever done and we all understood the meaning of 'five sanctities'.
Borrowing a word here:
Tosser
'Oh how the Marxist proletariat loathe intellectuals'
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of you to say this, but even my bitterest and most inveterate enemy would not describe me as an intellectual!
You pratt Simon It was Georgie that was being referred to an intellectual and you the Marxist didckhead
''Simon is clearly not Georgie the lady whoo railed against LEA's in defence of Home edders when he writes a book telling the LEAS to introduce registration. '
ReplyDeleteNote how he choose to avoid this challenge! '
Forgive me, but I was honestly was not aware that this was a challenge; I took it to be a statement. You say that I am clearly not Georgie. This is true; why should I dispute it?
> when he writes a book telling the LEAS to introduce registration. '
ReplyDeleteI think this is the challenge Simon
DH
'You pratt Simon It was Georgie that was being referred to an intellectual and you the Marxist didckhead '
ReplyDeleteYes, I did realise that. Have you not heard of irony? I am almost as surprised to be supposed a Marxist dickhead as I would have been to be considered an intellectual. I vote Conservative!
'It's kind of you to say this, but even my bitterest and most inveterate enemy would not describe me as an intellectual!'
ReplyDeleteBut when you not pretending to be humble you describe your work as that of an academic!
'> when he writes a book telling the LEAS to introduce registration. '
ReplyDeleteI think this is the challenge Simon'
I am obviously not firing on all cylinders this morning, Dave. I wrote a book on home education, it is available from all good booksellers, price £18.99. What is the challenge?
"Note the crazy spelling of a simple three letter word to suggest illiteracy,"
ReplyDeleteOr a simple typing error?
"Well I don't think that you need to concern yourself overmuch with my morals, Mike."
Ohh I love this game, you've mistaken me for Mike again! LOL That's twice I've been Mike and I think I've been Fiona and at least two other people. You seem to really enjoy your guessing games, Simon, shame you're so poor at them!
"If I had started a free email account in a false identity, then I would be a bit of a chump to post a message from myself without at least some sort of explanation. It does not make sense."
Or you forgot which list you were viewing and which identity you were signed into Yahoo with and posted it by accident?
"I am almost as surprised to be supposed a Marxist dickhead as I would have been to be considered an intellectual. I vote Conservative!"
ReplyDeleteYes, statist would probably be a better description. Money and control of society/the poor for the rich and those with power.
'Yes, statist would probably be a better description. Money and control of society/the poor for the rich and those with power.'
ReplyDeleteYou do realise that monitoring by local authorities, however intrusive and rigorous, would not be an example of statism? The essence of statism is central control. An example of this would be if the Department for Education took control over the monitoring of home education. I am not a statist.
'Or you forgot which list you were viewing and which identity you were signed into Yahoo with and posted it by accident?'
ReplyDeleteI am aware that some in the home education world have various secret identities. I have not. When I joined HE-UK and so on, I used my real name. Had I called myself Firebird or Dreamcatcher or something, then I would not have been chucked off in the first place! I cannot imagine why I would be having multiple identities; I am not a secret agent. I currently belong to several lists. Whenever I join, I do so under my own name. For instance when the meeting at Birmingham took place, I joined HELM. This was in my usual name and ordinary email address. I have no other.
"I am aware that some in the home education world have various secret identities. I have not."
ReplyDeleteWell you would say that, wouldn't you, given what you've said about anonymous posts in the past. Don't you think it's a bit secret agenty to get other people to forward posts to you from lists you've been banned from? Why is that OK but joining with a free email isn't? At least you don't involve other people in your secret agent work that way. This blog is getting more like a soap opera every day.
"I cannot imagine why I would be having multiple identities; I am not a secret agent."
ReplyDeleteBecause you had been banned from the list but couldn't bear not to continue reading? It's easier to sign up with a new free email address than to persuade someone else to go to the bother of forwarding the list messages to you, so why not?
You still haven't addressed the issue of why you think it's OK for you to get someone else to forward list messages to you, but not OK to sign up with a different email address. The result is the same but with one you have involved someone else in morally doubtful activities. Surely you can see that what you are claiming to have done is morally worse than what you have been accused of?
ReplyDeleteAnd you still have not addressed the question of why our book argues in favour of registration.
ReplyDeleteIt is not your name that gets you thrown off lists. It is your scurrilous conduct that brings H E into disrepute and all for the sake of your vanity.
DH
And D does not stand for Dave!
Eror correction
ReplyDeletend you still have not addressed the question of why your book argues in favour of registration.
Lets have the truth out in the open now.
Are you frightened of exposing yourself for what you really are?
ReplyDeleteYou accused falsely Georgie of running away because people asked who she was, It was clear what she stood for – the greater protection of Home Education.
At a time when people are rightly distraught by the ultra vires actions of LA’s you do not have the moral fibre to admit your advocacy for compulsory registration. It will cause great harm to HE.
Methinks the word Tosser is too good for you.
Webb is not Georgie.
ReplyDeleteHe has does not have the vocabulary, breeding or clear thinking candour ("the quality of being open and honest; frankness") to write the masterpiece of her first posting to BRAG.
Emma F
'And you still have not addressed the question of why our book argues in favour of registration.'
ReplyDeleteYou have not read the book, but seem very sure of this. You can hardly expect me to reveal the contents; anybody who wishes to know what is in it will just have to buy it. It is not in any case really aimed at parents, but rather at local authority officers, teachers, EWOs and so on. It is meant for education professionals.
'Are you frightened of exposing yourself for what you really are?
ReplyDeleteYou accused falsely Georgie of running away because people asked who she was, It was clear what she stood for – the greater protection of Home Education.
At a time when people are rightly distraught by the ultra vires actions of LA’s you do not have the moral fibre to admit your advocacy for compulsory registration. It will cause great harm to HE.'
You would hardly expect Dan Browne to reveal plot twists and the ending of his latest book, before it had even been published! I have no intention of telling anybody about the book's content's. As far as harming HE goes, I am a lifelong, dedicated, ideological home educator, who taught his daughter himself and never sent her to school. I have been involved in home education one way and another for almost forty years. I would not dream of doing or saying anything which harmed genuine home education.
If you change that final part as follows (changes in bold) your comment may be true, but as it stands I can assure you that your past writings prove you a liar, if only through ignorance if not vindictiveness:
ReplyDeleteI would not dream of doing or saying anything which harmed my kind of home education.
'If you change that final part as follows (changes in bold) your comment may be true, but as it stands I can assure you that your past writings prove you a liar, if only through ignorance if not vindictiveness:
ReplyDeleteI would not dream of doing or saying anything which harmed my kind of home education.'
Not really true. If you look at today's post, you will find that some home educators regard an eleven year-old boy working in a factory as an acceptable form of education. Also a fourteen year-old girl watching television all day. I have a broader view of education than this. I know home educating parents who carry on in a way that I regard as being quite wrong; I would not say that they are not providing an education though. I don't think that the methods which I used would suit all parents or all children. That is the wonderful thing about home education, that there is freedom to educate in different ways. I am however dead set against the idea of not educating and that is where I differ from some other people.
Simon Webb,
ReplyDeleteYour book advocates compulsory registration. This will cause immense damage to Home Education.
1. You know very little about Home Education. You ‘home schooled’ your daughter in the role of an imitation teacher.
2. Either you were a ‘would-be’ teacher or felt that you were superior to teachers as demonstrated by your own repeated words:-
“I am an irritable, middle aged man who grew up in England during the fifties and sixties. I educated my daughter myself because I could not trust anybody else to do it properly. I cannot abide sloppy thinking and touchy-feely lifestyles, which is perhaps why I do not get on particularly well with autonomous educators.”
Your attempt to wriggle out of this, is to try and re-define the meaning or Home Education to by branding it as “my kind of home education”.
Tell the truth.
Emma F
Webb.
ReplyDeleteDefine "genuine home education"
Tosser
The story about the eleven year old - you are grasping at invented straws to hide from the truth.
ReplyDeleteEmma F
Who is the person who keeps signing off as 'Tosser'? I mean fair play to you, but I worry about your self-esteem.
ReplyDelete'Your book advocates compulsory registration. This will cause immense damage to Home Education.
ReplyDelete1. You know very little about Home Education. You ‘home schooled’ your daughter in the role of an imitation teacher.'
Dear me, you do seem to be taking a good deal for granted, Emma F! What do you know of my educational technique and how? I am genuinely intrigued.
'Your attempt to wriggle out of this, is to try and re-define the meaning or Home Education to by branding it as “my kind of home education”.
Tell the truth'
I do assure you that nothing could be further from my mind than wriggling out of anything. About what would you have me tell the truth? As far as the book is concerned, you can scarcely expect me to give too much away about it's content; it might discourage people from buying it. It is in any case, as I have already said, not really intended for the laity.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThe story about the eleven year old - you are grasping at invented straws to hide from the truth.
Emma F '
What is this truth from which I wish to hide? You keep hinting at it but will not come out straight and tell me. Your remark about the eleven year-old boy says it all. You are fairly typical of a certain kind of parent who really does not know about the real world or what local authority officers investigating elective home edcuation actually have to deal with regularly.
'
'Define "genuine home education"'
ReplyDeleteI'll give you a clue. It does not entail leaving your kid sliumped in front of a television for hours on end.
"Not really true. If you look at today's post, you will find that some home educators regard an eleven year-old boy working in a factory as an acceptable form of education. Also a fourteen year-old girl watching television all day."
ReplyDeleteBut that's not what you said. You said you would not say or do anything that would harm genuine home education. You have. You have said and done things that could harm our families kind of home education. An education considered genuine enough that our children have been readily accepted by colleges and universities.
Despicable Webb
ReplyDeleteYou have provided long term drip-feed damage to Home Education with this blog and your distorted mind which has poisoned the reputation for HE. In doing so you have berated and belittled anyone and everyone that doesn't treat you as the god that your delusional mind thinks that you are.
You have damaged the cause of Home Education far more than Balls and Badman did.
I saw the ignorance on BRAG of not knowing about offsted' ultra vires action and yes you claim your work to be academic.
You are a despicable, self-centred, insensitive, scurrilous person without integrity.
To adopt the people phrase of the day but perhaps in the way that Georgie might express it if she were here:-
Veritable Tosser Extraordinaire
Sarah
"Who is the person who keeps signing off as 'Tosser'"
ReplyDeleteIt is not a signature it is a mark of abject disrespect to you which appears to have been adopted by many.
You are a VTE
Simon Davies
The time will come when She will speak.
ReplyDelete'Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Who is the person who keeps signing off as 'Tosser'"
It is not a signature it is a mark of abject disrespect to you which appears to have been adopted by many.
You are a VTE
Simon Davies'
I'm getting muddled up with all these Anonymouses! Is Simon Davies addressing the Anonymous who asked this question and thus indicating his disrespect for the questioner or is he referring to me? And what on earth is a VTF?
You have provided long term drip-feed damage to Home Education with this blog and your distorted mind which has poisoned the reputation for HE. In doing so you have berated and belittled anyone and everyone that doesn't treat you as the god that your delusional mind thinks that you are.
ReplyDeleteYou have damaged the cause of Home Education far more than Balls and Badman did.
I saw the ignorance on BRAG of not knowing about offsted' ultra vires action and yes you claim your work to be academic.
You are a despicable, self-centred, insensitive, scurrilous person without integrity.'
So, how many copies of Elective Home Education in the UK shall I put you down for? At £18.99, it really is a snip and advance orders from local authorities and educational establishments have been brisk. Don't leave it to late, or you may be in for a disappointment!
'
'I saw the ignorance on BRAG of not knowing about offsted' ultra vires action '
ReplyDeleteI do wish people would stop slinging this expression about! Ultra vires is becoming as overused as 'conflate'. What ultra vires actions has Ofsted undertaken?
'"Who is the person who keeps signing off as 'Tosser'"
ReplyDeleteIt is not a signature it is a mark of abject disrespect to you which appears to have been adopted by many.
You are a VTE
Simon Davies'
Ignore my previous comment. I have just worked it out. Simon Davies is the tosser and suffers from such a hideous degree of self loathing that he feels compelled to denounce himself in this way on my blog. Simon, old man, have you tried the Samaritans? No offence, but this is really a place for discussing elective home education rather than your personality defects.
"So, how many copies of Elective Home Education in the UK shall I put you down for? At £18.99, it really is a snip and advance orders from local authorities and educational establishments have been brisk."
ReplyDeleteAt a copy per LA that's 150 books! Way to go Simon! I notice Amazon don't actually stock you book, despatching in 4 to 6 weeks. I've checked with my library and they don't have a copy so it doesn't look as though I'll get to read it. No doubt people will start quoting sections of it on the internet if they manage to find a copy.
"I do wish people would stop slinging this expression about! Ultra vires is becoming as overused as 'conflate'. What ultra vires actions has Ofsted undertaken?"
ReplyDeleteFirst you deny that it happens (BRAG), then admit that do not know anything about it.
Finally, an admission by default of plain ignorance!
You are a VTE
Danny Sands
Mr. Webb
ReplyDeleteAt 5.15 this evening I discussed this page with our Chief f Executive. We embargoed all purchases within and by the Authority. The influence of personal rantings from an ostracised member of Elective Home Education community are not describable as a basis for forming forward thinking relationships with the growing Elective Home Educators that we have fostered good dealings with.
What I actually said on BRAG was:
ReplyDelete' It suggests somebody who does not really know what Ofsted is or what it
does. I have not heard of their being accused of ultra vires actions before in
regard to home education.'
This is not at all denying that such a thing happens. It is saying that I have not heard of it; which is quite a different matter. Perhaps instead of playing guessing games, somebody would like to tell us a little bit about ultra vires actions by Ofsted? Or we can carry on playing silly beggars; that's good too!
'Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteMr. Webb
At 5.15 this evening I discussed this page with our Chief f Executive. We embargoed all purchases within and by the Authority. The influence of personal rantings from an ostracised member of Elective Home Education community are not describable as a basis for forming forward thinking relationships with the growing Elective Home Educators that we have fostered good dealings with.'
I like this; especially, 'growing Elective Home Educators'. Does this mean juvenile home educators who have not yet finished growing? This would be a bit more impressive if it were not so obviously written by an illiterate maniac, but it is still not bad.
I hope more L A's read this and see your insulting contempt for them
ReplyDelete>This is not at all denying that such a thing happens. It is saying that I have not heard of it; which is quite a different matter. Perhaps instead of playing guessing games, somebody would like to tell us a little bit about ultra vires actions by Ofsted? Or we can carry on playing silly beggars; that's good too!
ReplyDeleteFine so you have not heard about it. Ignorance that is the point.
'I hope more L A's read this and see your insulting contempt for them'
ReplyDeleteMy insulting contempt was more for the sort of idiot who would think that anybody could be fooled by the piece of nonsense supposedly posted by somebody who has been talking to the Chief Executive of a local authority!
'Fine so you have not heard about it. Ignorance that is the point.'
ReplyDeleteAnd now presumably, you are goint to tell us a little about ultra vires actions by Ofsted?
No I am not.
ReplyDeleteLike so many things, you think you know everything and in reality you know very little. Which is why your book was referenced as 'fiction' on Amazon ' months a go.
Simon Webb - The epitome of incorrigibility
> My insulting contempt etc
ReplyDeleteWe can all hope it turns out to be true. Many of the things that you believe to be a fantasy happen to be real and tangible. Like Autonomous Home Education.
Steve Myers
Simon,
ReplyDeleteYou have been very rude to me in this blog by suggesting that I would be ashamed to put my real name to comments I made earlier when in fact I did put my real name to them.
You also selectively quoted me and by doing so significantly changed the meaning of what I said, I have explained to you earlier in these comments why that is so. You have not countered those arguments.
I have asked you to apologise for being so rude, you have ignored me.
This again is rude. I can only suppose that you have been too busy to make the apology.
So here is your chance to apologise for:
1. Saying that I did not sign off with my real name, when in fact I did.
2. Only quoting part of what I said and by doing so significantly changing the meaning of the comments.
All the best
In eager anticipation
Darren
'2. Only quoting part of what I said and by doing so significantly changing the meaning of the comments.'
ReplyDeleteI think that the part which I quoted was quite sufficient to give readers the flavour of your writing! I was in any case, hardly rude about you. I said that you had produced a 'gem of incisive invective'.
'1. Saying that I did not sign off with my real name, when in fact I did.'
Your name may well be Darren. On the other hand, as you may observe above, people sometimes sign their comments with random names. However, if you say that your name is Darren, I shall take your word for it. It can be a bit difficult to tell here sometimes.
You are not being straight here Simon and you know it.
ReplyDeleteYour comments about 'gem of incisive invective' was sarcastic and obviously so.
'My name may well be Darren' - is your name Simon?
Lets be straight here Simon - you made it public that I was too ashamed to sign my own name to my comments - and the fact is that I wasnt.
I have apologised to you if I hurt your feelings, you however seem to find it impossible to apologise to me for saying things about me that weren't true.
You know full well that the joke 'insult' that I put on the comments was just that - a joke. Intended to 'test' if you moderated the blog or not.
It may not of been funny or clever, but no actual insult was intended - do you accept that?
All the best
Darren
As I said Darren, blood out of a stone... I'm think he is incapable of learning anything new unless someone in authority tells him to learn it, which might explain his disbelief in the effectiveness of AE.
ReplyDeleteFor all the things I do not agree with Simon about, I never actually thought he was impolite and bad mannered.
ReplyDeleteI may be in the process of changing that view.
Darren
'You know full well that the joke 'insult' that I put on the comments was just that - a joke.'
ReplyDeleteWhy, I accept this fully. I can think of few things more witty and amusing than going onto somebody's blog and describing them as muddle headed buffoons whose breath smells like a pig's bottom! I am wholly unable to see though why you are unable to find my own joke about your posting anonymously as being similarly amusing. It makes you look like the sort of chap who can heand it out but is incapable of taking it himself. Remember Darren, nobody likes a man who can't take a joke against himself.
'For all the things I do not agree with Simon about, I never actually thought he was impolite and bad mannered.'
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that the comment below from October 26th strikes me as being a little impolite. When you set the tone for your comments here like this, you can hardly be surprised if the person at whom you are directing these jibes feels able to respond in kind. Only joking!
'Just picture Simon, hunched over his computer keyboard, trawling the internet, logging comments by autonomous educators and keeping them in a file for future use, phoning up universities, LEAs, health officials and goodness knows who else,checking out stories.
How he struggles sometimes to come up with something original on here - so he just goes over tired ground over and over again.
Poor Simon, why dont you go and read a book or something more productive instead?'
Are you moderating comments now Simon?
ReplyDeleteI cant seem to post.
Simon
ReplyDeleteYou say 'I am wholly unable to see though why you are unable to find my own joke about your posting anonymously as being similarly amusing.'
You know that this is a lie.
You know it wasnt intended as a joke.
So you are a liar who does not apologise for making false accusations, that is clear to see for anyone who is sad enough to follow this tawdry little spat.
It does tell me a lot about your character though Simon and hugely diminishes any respect I may have had for anything you say. Not that this will bother you much I know.
You said:
'Ending an insult by saying, ' (just checking that there is no moderation)', hardly lessons the effect. Let's try and see how it goes;
Derren, you are an ill mannered moron (Just checking that my keyboard is working OK)'
I said:
'The two examples you give are not the same. By putting in brackets that I was checking that there was no moderation and be making the 'insult' faintly ridiculous it seemed clear to me that the insult was not intended, but it would be one way of checking if you moderated the blog or not.
In your example there are many ways of checking that the keyboard is working other than insulting me, the insult is not required.
Do you see the difference?'
You have really got yourself into a MUDDLE over this Simon and you are making a FOOL of yourself.
Buffoon (noun)
1. A clown; a jester: a court buffoon.
2. A person given to clowning and joking.
3. A ludicrous or bumbling person; a FOOL.
Muddle-headed adj
1. Mentally confused.
2. Inept; blundering.
I cant comment on your breath as I have never met you.
All the best
Darren
I can't help but feel that Darren does not show himself to best advantage in the above post. Still, I dare say that he knows his own business. It almost makes one suspect that he is not quite the amiable fool which some of his posts would lead one to suppose. There is nothing sadder to see than a man who can't take a joke and I am sorry that Darren is now presenting himself as such a one.
ReplyDelete'Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteAre you moderating comments now Simon?
I cant seem to post.'
Probably a technical glitch; nothing to do with me.
Simon
ReplyDeleteIn your blog you said:
'Another problem is that posting anonymously encourages rudeness. Consider this gem of incisive invective, posted here a few days ago;
''Simon you are a muddle headed bufoon with breath like an pigs bottom ''
Is this supposed to be funny, is there a joke here?
Was it intended as a joke?
What 'joke' are you refering to?
I think you are a liar who hasnt got the decency to apologise when they get it wrong.
All the best
Darren
'I think you are a liar who hasnt got the decency to apologise when they get it wrong.'
ReplyDeleteTo speak candidly, I would infinitely prefer to be either a liar or a muddle headed buffoon than the sort of person prone to making an illicit concordance of singular and plural pronouns; but that is a purely personal perspective. Lighten up Darren, I thought that we were all having a bit of a joke here? I am bound to say that you do not in general come across as a man with a finely developed sense of humour.
Singularly Unimpressive Webb
ReplyDelete“To speak candidly”
- From Webb this is an oxymoron
“I would infinitely prefer to be either a liar or a muddle headed buffoon than the sort of person prone to making an illicit concordance of singular and plural pronouns;”
- This just expresses a preference for being a liar. Probably unintentional honesty.
“illicit concordance”
- banal linguistics and is a pseudo-intellectual attempt to try and emulate Georgina’s immaculate prose which entirely fails. Obviously flattered by the thought of being considered by some to be the author of Her work although simultaneously and characteristically derisory about it.
“I am bound to say that you do not in general come across as a man with a finely developed sense of humour.”
- Disingenuous for making excuses rather that apologizing. A pathetic tactic of insulting the victim of his abusive conduct to detract from not apologizing.
Overall, yet another typical demonstration of Webb’s delusional mind and superiority complex.
VTE ? Yes I think so.
Only two people could talk of 'Georgina’s immaculate prose'. One of these would be the woman herself; the other would be somebody wholly unfamiliar with the English language.
ReplyDelete'the victim of his abusive conduct '
I love this bit! Somebody comes onto my blog and is rude to me and about me. When I have a little gentle fun at his expense, he becomes 'the victim of my abusive conduct'. This really is priceless. Keep them coming, Anonymous; I cannot read too much of your work.
Yes, Simon often claims latter that comments were meant as a joke rather than apologise when he realises he has made an error. Problem is, when you look back, there is nothing resembling a joke. Either Simon does not understand humour at all or he is lying. Guess which I think it is.
ReplyDelete“Only two people could talk of 'Georgina’s immaculate prose'. One of these would be the woman herself; the other would be somebody wholly unfamiliar with the English language.”
ReplyDeleteWrong on every count Webb. Anyone that wants can talk about Georgina or anything they like. Your Godlike superiority complex is at full tilt this morning.
Your English is by no means masterful or exemplary and you are certainly no match for Georgina. The more you try the worse it gets.
Simon Webb - The epitome of incorrigibility
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteYes, Simon often claims latter that comments were meant as a joke rather than apologise when he realises he has made an error. Problem is, when you look back, there is nothing resembling a joke. Either Simon does not understand humour at all or he is lying. Guess which I think it is.
He has done it twice in this thread, here is the first example:
'You pratt Simon It was Georgie that was being referred to an intellectual and you the Marxist didckhead '
Yes, I did realise that. Have you not heard of irony?
Pretending that his mistake was deliberate humour
Simon wrote,
ReplyDelete"You do realise that monitoring by local authorities, however intrusive and rigorous, would not be an example of statism? The essence of statism is central control."
So is the Local Authority not part of the state? According to Wikipedia:
statism refers to analyses that use a dichotomy between state and society, with the state viewed as a homogeneous institution capable of using social power to enact policy on a passive or resisting society composed of the body of people.
Why would the state in this context not include LAs given that they are controlled and report back to central government. The laws and guidelines instituting and controlling monitoring would come from central government. Unless you are suggesting that each LA will have their own monitoring 'laws' not controlled and laid down by central government? Or would a central government official have to enter each home personally to carry out the monitoring for you to consider it statism?