Last month, I wrote here about the All-Party Parliamentary Group on home education and Graham Stuart’s idea for some sort of committee of professionals concerned with home education. I had serious reservations about this and said so on November 16th. Now there’s a great difference between thinking that something is a bad idea and believing it to be part of a sinister plot against home educators. A conspiracy theory is currently emerging which sees the APPG’s plans as part of some Europe-wide attack on home education. Even this blog, it has been suggested, plays a role in this scheme; it being, apparently, no coincidence that I should be saying unflattering things about Lisa Amphlett, so soon after she wrote that peculiar letter to Graham Stuart.
For the last few weeks, I have been trying to look at the real reasons that local authorities are sometimes uneasy about home education. This has not proved an easy task, because of course the sort of militant home educating parents that one encounters on the internet are not infrequently a little excitable and irrational. They have difficulty concentrating as well; combined with a tendency to wander off and lose track of what is being said. I feel like saying sharply, ‘Stop chattering and face the front, militant home educators and listen to what I am saying. It’s your time you’re wasting!’ However, I recollect in time that these people are supposedly adults and stop myself before making grossly inappropriate remarks of this sort.
It is only by understanding why many people have concerns about home education that any sort of modus vivendi will be reached with those professionals in the field of education who are pressing for regulation. Perhaps if home educating parents could listen to these people, then they might be able to respond intelligently and allay their fears. As I say, over the last few weeks, I have been setting out some aspects of home education which are seen as being a problem. I have talked to many teachers about this and have also been in touch with local authority officers who deal with elective home education. Some of the views which I have expressed here on this subject were my own; some were those which have been put to me by teachers and others. It has been a hopeless enterprise. Yesterday, for instance, I posted about the phenomenon of parents who take their children out of school because the teachers say that their children are falling behind or disrupting the class; then find that they are unable to provide a reasonable education. This is something which worries quite a few teachers. You might have thought that this was the perfect opportunity for home educators who are dissatisfied with the way that local authorities feel, to speak out on a public forum and set them straight. If education professionals are wrong about this; why not explain why they are wrong? But no. Out of sixty comments, only three addressed the subject of the post. The others would rather concern themselves with fantasies about me masturbating or claim that I was mentally ill. In other words, around 95% of the comments had nothing to do with home education; although that was the topic of the post. I have already received a couple of emails from people about this and their view was that it is pointless to try and debate with those people. They don’t really have any sensible views about the matter.
In recent months, there have been many people from the world of mainstream education coming to view this blog. I suggested to some of these people that I would try and draw out home educating parents to give their views and opinions on what they wanted from local authorities. There has been very little of a constructive nature and the overall impression that the visitors have had has not been at all favourable to home educators in general. To speak bluntly; most of them were shocked and dismayed at what they saw here. Any sort of dialogue is impossible and the best that they can do is to make any arrangements unilaterally, without worrying over-much about upsetting the more aggressive type of home educating parent.
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ReplyDelete. Worn out Webb say " Any sort of dialogue is impossible and the best that they can do is to make any arrangements unilaterally, without worrying over-much about upsetting the more aggressive type of home educating parent."
How come those so called teachers LA;s never question their own actions and what has lead the parent to take up home education why is it always the parent/children that is at thought webb? Why are LA,s in your world never wrong? explain?
It is LA who are at fault always blaming the parents/child then their want you to allow them into your home
For the love of Mike, Peter, if you care at all about the future of home education in this country, please stop commenting.
Delete"How come those so called teachers LA;s never question their own actions and what has lead the parent to take up home education why is it always the parent/children that is at thought webb? Why are LA,s in your world never wrong? explain?"
DeleteIf what you say is true then it makes no sense for home educators to respond in such a way that confirms their beliefs further regardless of their personal views.
Jane
what are you on about Jane?
DeleteWhy do LA,s officer never question their own actions? simple question or are you like old Webb who belies LA officers can do no wrong?
Just that if someone behaves towards you like you are a problem to them why prove the point by behaving in such a way that confirms it to them
DeleteSimon does have a point some parents do seem to have an agenda of their own that doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the rest of us,
No one not even Simon thinks all LA's are either all right or all wrong
Jane
'No one not even Simon thinks all LA's are either all right or all wrong
DeleteJane'
This is of course quite true, Jane. I had to speak sharply to my own local authority on more than one occasion. Knowing that there are awkward customers in a local authority is a different thing entirely from believing that all local authorities are bad.
Williams doesn't care now that little pete is at college. Because he had a hissy fit with his LA he presumes they're all the same. He thinks he won some huge battle with them when in reality the LA probably just couldn't be arsed dealing with him any further. He is now resigned to asking simon if his daughter is a member of the labour party, trying to find out who funds LAs and accusing me of harming my children.
DeleteOld worn out Webb can not bring him self to say that LA are ever in the wrong why? why don't LA,s ever admit their are wrong in the way there treat home educators?
DeleteWhy cant LA,s treat home educators as paying customers? why cant Webb and his side kick Cat admit that home educators are paying customers who fund LA officers via council tax and income tax
We wish to be treated as paying customers when ever we have any dealing with any LA box ticking officer
LA,s have upset to many home educators over the years with the way there carried on the game is up home educators can see though them and most home educators now know the law on home education and do not take kindly to some box ticking LA officer trying to ignore the law on home education
Its over Webb your ideas along with crazy old Badman are gone put you feet and get you slippers on
when in reality the LA probably just couldn't be arsed dealing with him any further.
Deleteerr no the LA just know it could not win in court because Peter was getting a full time suitable education we wanted to go to court told Hampshire LA that lets go to court but there would not to scared of losing I guess it did not help that we had the full support of our county councilor Dr Tony Ludlow he knew the education Peter was getting was rather good
I don't usually respond to Mr Williams, because it serves only to make him get even more worked up. However, I could not let this remark of his pass unchallenged:
Delete'Old worn out Webb can not bring him self to say that LA are ever in the wrong why?'
This is not the first time that he has said this. I must remind readers that for twenty years I was working for a charity for children with special needs in Hackney; much of the work of which entailed making the London Borough of Hackney obey the law. In my personal life as a home educator, I have had many run-ins with Essex County Council, as I have blogged about here on many occasions. For example, on November 16th, I said:
'A few years ago, there used to be regular meetings between local authority EHE departments in south-east England. These meetings took place at Hastingwood, near Harlow in Essex and EHE officers from as far away as Southampton attended them. Unfortunately, at that time, about six or seven years ago, Essex had a fellow called Mike Allpress working for their EHE department and his ideas were a little extreme, even for somebody like me! In fact, I refused to let him visit our home. '
When this local authority officer wished to visit our home, I wrote to him, saying:
' Essex.
IG10
8/3/07
Dear Mr. Allpress,
Thank you for your recent letter, the contents of which have been noted. Although I should have been delighted to meet with you on Tuesday March 13th, I am afraid that this will not be possible.
I observe from your letter that the reason for your visit is to advise me about my daughter’s education. You will, I am sure, forgive my remarking that I find myself wholly at a loss to know what advice you could possibly be intending to dispense with regard to a child whom you have never met and know nothing about. However, I dare say that you know your own business best and you may rest assured that I shall pay keen attention to any advice which you feel competent to give. It occurs to me that if any of this advice is particularly urgent, then you could perhaps send it by post, rather than waiting until we meet. It is only a thought.
In the meantime, I enclose a brief summary of my daughter’s progress since last we were fortunate enough to receive the attention of your office.
Yours faithfully,
Simon Webb.'
If Mr Williams honestly thinks that this sounds like man who always thinks that local authorities are right, then all I can say is that my own local authority never had that impression!
that letter you say you wrote does not say that the LA are wrong in how there treat home educators put you feet up Webb your ideas are in the past like crazy old badman report gathers dust on the house of commons shelf
Delete"Any sort of dialogue is impossible and the best that they can do is to make any arrangements unilaterally, without worrying over-much about upsetting the more aggressive type of home educating parent."
ReplyDeleteIf they base their conclusions on your attempts to discuss issues with people you have effectively accused of child abuse in the past, they are unlikely to reach sensible conclusions in other issues.
'If they base their conclusions on your attempts to discuss issues with people you have effectively accused of child abuse in the past, they are unlikely to reach sensible conclusions in other issues.'
DeleteYes, this reminds me of when I was working on my book on home education a few years ago. I spoke to local authority officers who wished to open up a dialogue of this sort. I asked on here if some of the more vociferous home educators would be interested in expressing their views in print. The idea was that they could, in effect, write a chapter of the book, setting out their concerns about local authorities and then the local authorities would respond. It would give both sides a public forum to state their case. needless to say, not one of the people visiting this blog felt willing or able to do so. The result was that I had to put their case forward myself. It was a shame, because it was an opportunity to tell anybody reading the book what they actually thought.
Can you say 'projection' Slimon...
ReplyDelete'Can you say 'projection' Simon...'
DeleteI could, but since I don't work in a cinema, I can think of no reason for doing so. Is this a coded message or more cod psycho-analysis?
Perhaps its another hilarious comment that we're just too dim to understand. ..
DeleteJust out of interest, Simon, am I a militant home educator? Because I'd rather like to be, and to say to the 'professionals' who look at your blog that the overwhelming majority of home educating parents are simply getting on with educating their kids, and they steer clear of LA's because you aren't very careful about following guidelines and don't think about how it feels to have strangers turning up on your doorstep when you haven't done anything wrong and acting as self-appointed judges of what you're doing without knowing enough about education of any sort or SEN in a lot of cases to have a clue why you're doing it that way.
ReplyDeleteMy suspicion is that that's because HE is often tagged onto a job and no one wants it and no one reads the guidelines because they don't have time. Then, when mistakes are made, no one wants to say 'oops, I'm not that experienced at this, can we have a 'do-over' ' so small incidents become much bigger ones.
What I'd suggest is a flow chart. Now, maybe it explains how come I've got two children with high functioning autism, but I think flow charts solve most things. If one of the LA's who have enough home edded kids to have got their head round procedures could just draw up a couple of charts (or if they can't, I'd do it...) so that LA staff could quickly see what is meant to happen when, what they're entitled to ask for and what they're not then it'd make their lives easier and that'd make home educators lives easier.
Then, as both sides stopped viewing each other as 'the enemy' we might actually start working together better and everyone would be happier.
Okay, I know it's a pipe dream, but it is the season of goodwill and Christmas wishes, so there's no harm saying it, is there?
Happy Christmas everyone!
Anne
I wouldn't describe you for a moment as a militant home educator, Anne! The situation for those like you, whose children have special educational needs, is a tricky one. I might, if I was in your position, feel the same way that you do. However, that does not mean that local authorities do not have their own, quite genuine, concerns for the welfare of children. It is this which is at the root of the problem. I used to get a little ticked off myself with certain local authority officers. Even though, I knew that their motives were sound and that however foolish and ill-judged their actions, they actually were worried about children. There is scope there for parents and local authorities to get together and talk. The real difficulty is with those who feel that the government and local authorities are not really acting out of genuine concern. I am talking about the sort of people who think that efforts to regulate home education are mixed up with plots involving forced adoption or the wish of the government that all children are indoctrinated with a certain ideology. This is a serious problem, because quite a few of the better known individuals in the world of British home education are victims of disordered thinking of this sort. I am thinking here of characters like Neil Taylor-Moore, who believe that the Jews are taking over the world and that home education is under threat because of this. These people are the real obstacle, not those like you.
DeleteAnn talks a lot of sense i agree with her well said i like this bit you wrote "don't think about how it feels to have strangers turning up on your doorstep when you haven't done anything wrong and acting as self-appointed judges of what you're doing"
ReplyDeleteThese strangers often want to turn up making threats as well to you!
We're new to home education -- our oldest is just five. Although we have the last two years reading extensively, preparing, and immersing ourselves in the various aspects and ramifications, we are just at the start of our journey.
ReplyDeleteWe are also new to the UK, having moved here at the end of the summer. So I guess you could call me an outsider in many ways.
This blog is the first UK-based home education blog I've read. There's lots of stuff you write that I don't agree with, Simon. My poor husband has had to bear with a few rants arising from some commentaries of yours. However, you also raise many good points, and many hard questions that all home educators would do well to ponder.
I'll also give you this: you're very good at respecting opposing views, when they're made reasonably and articulately.
However, I had almost decided to stop visiting and participating in the discussion here when I read a post and its accompanying comments a few days ago. It has, thankfully, since been removed.
That ugly scene and references to historical grudges made me wonder: could it be that these people are so wound up by you, Simon, that they lose their rag the minute they see your name? Are they able to engage in sensible debate when you're not involved?
It's clear that there is an element that is, frankly, embarrassing the side, much as I sympathise with many of their opinions and share many of their concerns. You may think them paranoid, but having come from Scandinavia, their worries aren't as groundless as you sometimes portray.
Elizabeth
'That ugly scene and references to historical grudges made me wonder: could it be that these people are so wound up by you, Simon, that they lose their rag the minute they see your name?'
DeleteThat is true.
' Are they able to engage in sensible debate when you're not involved?'
Sadly, no. They aren't. If there were no Simon, he'd have to be invented by them. Or they'd move on to someone else they hate (I think Fiona is next in line.) Followed by anyone who has ever attended the APPG, then anyone who has ever allowed the LA to visit.
The 'historic grudges' to which you refer, are what brought this blog into existence. I had never thought of keeping a blog until I found myself the subject of a pretty vicious internet campaign. Some of those taking part in this campaign were people that you have seen commenting here recently; Lisa Amphlett, for instance. It got to the point where I was being described in the comments on newspaper articles as a local authority officer and also as being an agent of the government! Since I had no way of responding to these mad allegations, I began this blog to set the record straight.
Delete'You may think them paranoid, but having come from Scandinavia, their worries aren't as groundless as you sometimes portray.'
DeleteOf course, when I talk generally on here; I am referring to the situation in this country. Germany and Scandinavia have rather different traditions. My first wife was Swedish and I lived in Goteborg for some time. I remember talking to her about home education, this would have been perhaps thirty five years ago. She literally had no idea what I was talking about. To her, school was as much a part of the natural way of things as gravity or air. The very notion of childhood without school was, to her, a contradiction in terms.
Is this a longstanding pattern for you? Stand on the outside of a group, criticising it relentlessly, then feel offended when it shuns you?
Delete'Is this a longstanding pattern for you? Stand on the outside of a group, criticising it relentlessly, then feel offended when it shuns you?'
DeleteI wasn't aware that this had happened. Nor did I say that I had been offended. I am talking about the end of July 2009, before this blog existed. People were inventing all sorts o f nonsense about me and spreading these silly stories all over the world. Some of these ridiculous tales, such as that I was an adviser to the Department for Children, Schools and Families, even reached America and Australia; where they were repeated. I was not offended, but wished to make sure that people knew the truth.
My mistake then. It is just that you seem very offended and hurt. One gets the impression you are running internet searches for mentions of your name from years ago and making a list of perceived slights to add to a pile of grievances.
DeleteI think their response to your articles was a natural one from people whose educational philosophy was already under attack from official quarters and then you came and fanned the flames. Perhaps if you tried to see it from their perspective for a second, you would be able to forgive them.
What makes you think home educators need you to give them a public platform? Public platforms are there for the taking, nowadays. Home educators - and anyone else - can pick and choose from a wide range of platforms, or invent their own. Why would they choose yours? Even the name of your blog implies possible lack of support from you for their position. Its content usually confirms it. I am surprised that you are surprised they did not take you up on the offer.
ReplyDeleteWas it even an offer, explicitly made? From what you say today, you lined up an audience and then tried to draw out readers views. You were not clear at the time that this was what you were doing. I cannot imagine why you expect readers to trust you with their considered opinions on anything.
'Even the name of your blog implies possible lack of support from you for their position. '
DeleteI see. You seem to be saying that although I have been involved, on and off, with home education for over forty years and did not send my daughter to school for a single day, the fact that I call this blog 'Home Education Heretic', suggests that I am not a supporter of home education. I think I see.
'I cannot imagine why you expect readers to trust you with their considered opinions on anything.'
I wasn't asking anybody to trust me with anything. I was rather giving people a chance to express their views.
Home educators are prolific in their expression of their views. With all due respect, they do not need to be given a chance from you to do so.
DeleteYes, but no one reads them. Go to any 'famous' HE blog and you'll see maybe 3 comments per post, if you are lucky. (All agreeing in the most sychophantic manner, of course.) Simon has a very active readership. Discussions are lively. Different views are expressed. No wonder so many want to read and comment.
DeleteThat's because most of them aren't dinosaurs, meaning: the discussion takes place on Facebook. It's still happening; you're just not seeing it.
DeleteAgreement is not guaranteed or sychophantic. If you check back on the blogs a few years to the pre-Facebook era you will see confirmation of this.
Discussions are lively here because Simon deliberately posts contentious issues to generate lively discussion. In this he is successful.
"In recent months, there have been many people from the world of mainstream education coming to view this blog. I suggested to some of these people that I would try and draw out home educating parents to give their views and opinions on what they wanted from local authorities."
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could tells us more about this potential audience from the world of mainstream education - no names or anything to identify them, of course - just so that we can understand the kind of people we're addressing.
'Perhaps you could tells us more about this potential audience from the world of mainstream education - no names or anything to identify them, of course - just so that we can understand the kind of people we're addressing.'
DeleteSome are local authority officers that have contacted me after reading my book; people who want to know what makes home educators tick. They are baffled by the venom directed against them and wish to get an insight into what is happening. A couple of people from the Department for Education have said that they read what is on here regularly and there are also teachers who I come into contact with; both in the south east of England and by email from further afield.
If they are so baffled, then perhaps you could direct them to their own guidance on the law:
Deletehttp://dfe.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/parents/involvement/homeeducation/a0073367/elective-home-education-guidelines
and ask them to follow it. The sentiments then directed towards them might be somewhat less venomous.
Right. Because 'they' are all the same person.
DeleteHe makes it sound like he's in touch with them all.
DeleteSimon - Why did you not explain your intention? I have supported you many times but even the people who dislike you the most may have laid off a while if they had known this is what you were doing.
ReplyDeleteAlso (whilst I am writing) the people that write here anonymously are seen by the readers as just that. Do you have any way of seeing who actually writes the posts?
'Why did you not explain your intention?'
DeleteYou must be kidding! Even when they didn't know that they were showing off to an audience, some of these people were talking about masturbation and mental illness; to say nothing of making joke versions of this blog, photo-shopping my photograph and so on. Can you imagine what tricks they would have been up to if they knew that people were watching? It doesn't bear thinking about.
He has no way of seeing who actually writes the posts.
DeleteAs much as you'd like to think you do - you do not validate anyone, let alone give them a public platform. No one seeks your approval or licence to say what they need to say or do what they need to do. I'm a firm supporter of the freedom to the individual to act according to one's conscience, beliefs and principles.
ReplyDeleteOn this occasion, however, I think I can almost make an exception for you. I think you should be denied a public platform as you are too irresponsible to ride a mobility scooter on a public highway let alone speak on behalf of parents. Any parents. Stop it.
'As much as you'd like to think you do - you do not validate anyone'
DeleteI honestly do not know what this means. How on Earth would I go about validating anybody? By stamping them with a visa or something? Please explain what you mean by this.
'I think you should be denied a public platform '
So you should be allowed a public platform to voice your opinion in the comments here, but I should myself be denied this facility. Have I got that right? Now I'm pretty sure that there is a word for this sort of thing. You know, when you only want your own political views or opinions on education to be permitted. Ah yes, I have remembered it. Fascism. Awful stance to take, but I am always pleased when the gloves come off and we see the real nature of some of those who come on here.
'I'm a firm supporter of the freedom to the individual to act according to one's conscience, beliefs and principles.'
DeleteYes, sure you are. As long as that individual is just like you.
Do you read your posts before you send them? Who gave you the right to act for everyone?
Deleteand what authority do you have to tell Simon to stop speaking on parents behalf?
ReplyDeleteExactly the same authority that he assumes when blogging about the 'futility of giving home educators a public platform' duh!
DeleteOk. So having a blog and suggesting it was futile as the comments were not relevant to home education is the same as telling someone they shouldn't talk on behalf of anyone?
DeleteJust FYI you are not giving anyone a platform. You are just another person with a blog. I am sure home educators can find a platform without your help and now they know the point of this blog is for scrutiny by LA persons, I am sure they will stay away.
ReplyDeleteHow ridiculous. Anyone posting here is using the blog as a platform to publicise their views. Why would a load of anonymous posters stsy away.
Deletepossibly so they do not have to encounter your boring posts. That would be the major bonus of staying away. You and your echo chamber are welcome to each other.
DeleteThanks for popping by.
DeleteSupportive, friendlier articles - such as the excellent (well I thought it was) one about Chemistry and Science in the home - rather than more political ones or grudges. I am personally interested in your experience teaching your own child (after all it worked!), advice on the structuring lessons, making some subjects compelling, some good ideas (like the chemistry one) etc. If the tone of blog is positive like then it would be hard to be ever negative with the article content.
ReplyDelete