Thursday 24 March 2011

Another needless panic by home educators

If only more home educating parents would just pick up the telephone and speak to people, rather than spreading rumours on the Internet, then the world might be a less anxious place for them. This piece appeared in the Guardian:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/mar/21/jeremy-hunt-hints-rules-murdoch


Common sense tells us that it is nothing at all to do with home education, despite the fact that in the third paragraph from the bottom, mention is made of 'home education'. A quick call to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirms that what is being talked about here is distance learning; things like the Open University. This has not stopped some home educators on sites like HE-UK and Dare to Know from pretending that the government is about to launch another consultation about home education. Idiots!
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19 comments:

  1. Loz24 March 2011 at 01:01

    Here we go again. How utterly daft.

    The very fact that some people on HE-UK are readers of the Guardian pretty much says it all to me anyway =P

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  2. Simon Webb24 March 2011 at 01:07

    'The very fact that some people on HE-UK are readers of the Guardian pretty much says it all to me anyway =P'

    By which I take it that, like all right-thinking people, you read the Daily Telegraph?

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  3. Loz24 March 2011 at 01:21

    lol..actually if given the choice I read the Independent(including it's marvellous budget spin-off 20p 'i') I so love sitting on the fence.

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  4. Suzi24 March 2011 at 01:32

    Some people are so paranoid.

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  5. Suzi24 March 2011 at 01:34

    I find reading the Guardian is as bad for my blood pressure as reading the Daily Mail lol

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  6. Anonymous24 March 2011 at 02:14

    Not necessarily 'idiots'. It seems an odd place for the gvt to launch the idea of a consultation, for sure. But when you are deeply involved in something called 'Home Education' it might be hard to imagine that someone might be using the term in an entirely unfamiliar way.

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  7. Anonymous24 March 2011 at 03:40

    I know it's been said before, but some HE folk seem to thrive on the idea of somehow being persecuted...

    I am a lifelong Guardian reader, btw. Stop oppressing me.

    Decca

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  8. Simon Webb24 March 2011 at 03:57

    'I am a lifelong Guardian reader, btw. Stop oppressing me.'

    I used to read it myself at one time, when it was actually the only paper which supported the Liberals. The rot set in when it stopped being the Manchester Guardian and moved to London.

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  9. Allie24 March 2011 at 05:28

    "Idiots!"

    Why does it bother you so much, Simon? So they're wrong - so what?

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  10. Simon Webb24 March 2011 at 06:42

    '"Idiots!"

    Why does it bother you so much, Simon? So they're wrong - so what?'

    Because it all goes to create an atmosphere of tension and alarm. others pick up on this and before you know it, people are running round like headless chickens instead of educating their children.

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  11. Anonymous24 March 2011 at 06:47

    I notice you are in agreement with Mike FW on this issue. A first?

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  12. Peter and Carol24 March 2011 at 07:01

    Webbsays-Because it all goes to create an atmosphere of tension and alarm.

    Grahman Badman and Ed balls caused the bad tension and very bad atmosphere wheh their wanted to force their where in to private hosues to interview children on thier own.

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  13. Anonymous24 March 2011 at 15:55

    Simon said a couple of months ago,
    "A home educating parent of my acquaintance, not on any of the lists, was really pissed off recently when her son was refused a place at Edinburgh University. He has a glittering array of IGCSEs and AS levels, but wished to study history. Anybody doing a Humanity at Edinburgh is required to have a GCSE in a language."

    Was that really a friend, or was that you? Strange coincidence that the same happened to you daughter if it was a friend.

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  14. Anonymous24 March 2011 at 18:07

    I'm bored of all the secrecy. I think I'd rather like a register and some legitimacy to home ed.

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  15. Gizzie24 March 2011 at 18:08

    I'm bored of all the secrecy. I think I'd rather like a register and some legitimacy to home ed.

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  16. Anonymous25 March 2011 at 00:42

    Gizzy, you've experienced secrecy?

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  17. Simon Webb25 March 2011 at 01:36

    'Was that really a friend, or was that you? Strange coincidence that the same happened to you daughter if it was a friend.'

    I have heard it said that truth is stranger than fiction...

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  18. Simon Webb25 March 2011 at 01:37

    'Gizzie said...
    I'm bored of all the secrecy. I think I'd rather like a register and some legitimacy to home ed.'

    Why Gizzie, this is indeed finding Saul among the prophets! Are you no longer so bitterly opposed to all the recommendations of the Badman review?

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  19. Anonymous25 March 2011 at 02:38

    What secrecy? Is something secret if it's not listed, detailed and controlled by the authorities? Strange idea.

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