tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post1961095873761924412..comments2024-03-20T00:30:11.702-07:00Comments on Home Education Heretic: The ambulance chasers of home educationSimon Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865289865412656573noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-53862075241940606602011-04-19T12:28:43.417-07:002011-04-19T12:28:43.417-07:00"Putting pressure on home educators to avoid ..."Putting pressure on home educators to avoid visits is as bad as putting pressure on them to have visits (and we've had this pressure from home educators)."<br /><br />Ahh yes, the familiar, 'we don't mind visits so why don't you have them and stop rocking the boat? If you make a fuss they'll change the law so that you have to have visits and we'll all be worse off'. I've had that one too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-48972644633607835812011-04-19T07:30:30.863-07:002011-04-19T07:30:30.863-07:00"Oh believe me, that's ENDLESSLY discusse..."Oh believe me, that's ENDLESSLY discussed in our area, leaving the majority who opt for visits being forced to keep very quiet about it now."<br /><br />So you have a tyranny of the majority by a minority in your group! Don't let them get away with it. I don't have visits these days, but fully understand why other would choose to. Other options for those who want visits and also want to support those who don't is to make it clear to the LA that they are aware visits are optional. Also, the group could work with the LA to ensure any letters reflect the law correctly. Putting pressure on home educators to avoid visits is as bad as putting pressure on them to have visits (and we've had this pressure from home educators).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-89538791646447407592011-04-19T04:45:50.856-07:002011-04-19T04:45:50.856-07:00' However, it may be worth discussing the idea...' However, it may be worth discussing the idea that if the majority automatically accept visits without question it will impact negatively on the minority that refuse them.'<br /><br />Oh believe me, that's ENDLESSLY discussed in our area, leaving the majority who opt for visits being forced to keep very quiet about it now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-45604878894373689722011-04-18T11:49:37.253-07:002011-04-18T11:49:37.253-07:00"and they're a traitor to the HE 'goo..."and they're a traitor to the HE 'goodly cause' if they allow one."<br /><br />And BTW, I've never seen the word, 'traitor' used and hope it's rare. However, it may be worth discussing the idea that if the majority automatically accept visits without question it will impact negatively on the minority that refuse them. Not sure where it leaves us because I would not like to prevent people choosing visits as an option, especially since I've had them in the past myself. But it is still an issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-27326790467668660232011-04-18T11:46:48.058-07:002011-04-18T11:46:48.058-07:00"Some people are already in a precarious post..."Some people are already in a precarious postion re social services and the last thing they need to be told categorically that visits are wrong and they're a traitor to the HE 'goodly cause' if they allow one.<br /><br />There's a balance, isn't there?"<br /><br />Obviously. But that was made in response to Julie's comment; "my original comments were directed about the attitudes of some whose "advice" seems less than helpful towards families who have already agreed to a visit". Just a visit, not contact with social services or anything like that. I've never disputed the need to behave differently in that type of situation and agree that the 'batten down the hatches', or 'flee the country' type approach are the last thing we should do or advise others to do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-7112437746373481842011-04-18T05:51:10.155-07:002011-04-18T05:51:10.155-07:00'If the possible risks are not discussed on li...'If the possible risks are not discussed on lists, how will those reading (who have maybe not posting at all or not giving full details of their situation), be aware of the occasions when visits are not a good idea?'<br /><br />I don't think that Julie was suggesting that the possible risks should not be discussed at all. If her experience is anything like mine, what happens is that people are so very free with their advice that they ignore the real risks of NOT co-operating to a few people. <br /><br />Some people are already in a precarious postion re social services and the last thing they need to be told categorically that visits are wrong and they're a traitor to the HE 'goodly cause' if they allow one. <br /><br />There's a balance, isn't there?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-80587052642042563032011-04-18T05:17:07.008-07:002011-04-18T05:17:07.008-07:00"my original comments were directed about the..."my original comments were directed about the attitudes of some whose " advice" seems less than helpful towards families who have already agreed to a visit"<br /><br />So do you think it's wrong to warn these people of the possible risks of a visit (without scaremongering)? As you acknowledge, in some cases visits are clearly a bad idea. If the possible risks are not discussed on lists, how will those reading (who have maybe not posting at all or not giving full details of their situation), be aware of the occasions when visits are not a good idea?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-90307267079207375162011-04-17T23:15:26.447-07:002011-04-17T23:15:26.447-07:00To anon at 16.29...
I also said "I have no i...To anon at 16.29...<br /><br />I also said "I have no issue with people making sure that everyone is aware of the risks/benefits ratio of things like home visits." <br /><br />I am certainly not coming out in support of all families having home visits or anything else- (in fact I have recently advised a couple of families to avoid them at all costs, for various reasons!)...my original comments were directed about the attitudes of some whose " advice" seems less than helpful towards families who have already agreed to a visit, or who have had a visit and then have problems. (Wasn't that the context of Simon's original post? I don't think there are many "professional ambulance chasers" around - or what ever Simon wants to call them, but there are certainly those whose response to anyone who even admits in passing they are having/have had a visit which can be unhelpful or extremist.Julienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-4571341049494226072011-04-17T16:29:31.404-07:002011-04-17T16:29:31.404-07:00Julie wrote,
"In addition there are also some...Julie wrote,<br />"In addition there are also some who "advise" families who are already in difficulty with the LA (or social services) to buckle down the hatches and repel any further contacts - which seems to alarm the authorities even more and so can have much more dramatic consequences."<br /><br />It's clear that Anon at 6.42 meant to exclude extreme reactions when the said:<br />"If people take a few simple precautions they are largely protected from harm if this should happen to them. If they are careful and polite, there is no reason why good LA relations should be damaged."<br /><br />Not sure how you went from that to buckling down the hatches and repelling further contacts!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-25075923233199005822011-04-17T10:04:13.981-07:002011-04-17T10:04:13.981-07:00"And if you're who I think you are you kn..."And if you're who I think you are you know the truth."<br /><br />I know nothing more than has been discussed on email lists in public, so I suspect I'm not who you think I am!<br /><br />"But hey, come and see me we can discuss old times and more recent ones."<br /><br />Well I'm not 100% sure you're who I think you are and don't even know where you are if you are that person so that would be difficult. Privacy makes life complicated, doesn't it?153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-22560119004852122952011-04-17T10:01:16.784-07:002011-04-17T10:01:16.784-07:00"1996ish...
we were meeting HEing families fa..."1996ish...<br />we were meeting HEing families face to face, it was towards the end of the real physical world before everthing had to go 'virtual' and the rumourmill started to grind away truth and integrity."<br /><br />Yep, I was doing the same, and did so for many years after also joining the 'Internet world'. The real physical world was there then and is still there now and and exactly the same conversations went on in that world before the Internet as take place now on the internet. Maybe you just weren't interested in those issues at that time, but I can assure you that little has changed apart from the location.153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-42647519062393266172011-04-17T08:20:30.728-07:002011-04-17T08:20:30.728-07:00Would it be possible for you anonymouses to alloca...Would it be possible for you anonymouses to allocate numbers to yourselves and make this easier to read?<br /><br />At 06:24, one anonymous said, "a male EO local contact who's fighting rather dirty for dominance by bullying women". If you have a complaint against an EO local contact, please contact the local contacts co-ordinator or one of the other trustees. The trustees' names are not yet linked to email addresses (we are hoping to put a new website live within the next two weeks) but they are generally formed by the first initial and the surname. For example, mine is SDeuchars@educationotherwise.org. I can also be reached by phone on the Media number. Initial contact can be made in confidence.Shena Deucharshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07512064110860817197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-43934460547755137922011-04-17T07:23:32.144-07:002011-04-17T07:23:32.144-07:00'If you're who I think you are'
And i...'If you're who I think you are'<br /><br />And if you're who I think you are you know the truth.<br />But hey, come and see me we can discuss old times and more recent ones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-79360554643744812762011-04-17T07:21:02.777-07:002011-04-17T07:21:02.777-07:001996ish...
we were meeting HEing families face to ...1996ish...<br />we were meeting HEing families face to face, it was towards the end of the real physical world before everthing had to go 'virtual' and the rumourmill started to grind away truth and integrity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-49595519412248665752011-04-17T07:10:05.170-07:002011-04-17T07:10:05.170-07:00"You haven't...
Says it all really."..."You haven't...<br />Says it all really."<br /><br />I didn't, but plenty of others did, something you claim didn't happen. I told you that others had questioned it in answer statement that nobody had, now you treat my answer as though you had asked me if I'd queried it in person. Way to move the goal posts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-60351420443183734032011-04-17T07:07:39.916-07:002011-04-17T07:07:39.916-07:00"I'll bet their home ed was fun, watching..."I'll bet their home ed was fun, watching Mum and Dad simmer and fight."<br /><br />It comes to something when you have to start picking on people's personal lives to this extent to make a point. You are talking about people going through hard times. If you are who I think you are, you should be the last person to hit someone when they're down. I though better of you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-37545156851604823862011-04-17T07:06:06.743-07:002011-04-17T07:06:06.743-07:00"In addition there are also some who "ad..."In addition there are also some who "advise" families who are already in difficulty with the LA (or social services) to buckle down the hatches and repel any further contacts - which seems to alarm the authorities even more and so can have much more dramatic consequences."<br /><br />I agree it's possible to go too far, it's never a good idea to close down against social services, for instance, but some people seem to want to throw the baby out with the bath water and dislike/want to stop any mention of problems with LAs. Those were the comments I meant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-70573320870559863212011-04-17T07:02:13.030-07:002011-04-17T07:02:13.030-07:00Anon at 6.42 said
"Or they are families who ...Anon at 6.42 said<br /><br />"Or they are families who have suffered at the hands of their LA and want to warn others of the dangers?"<br /><br />I have no issue with people making sure that everyone is aware of the risks/benefits ratio of things like home visits. I do have more of a problem with those who use words which imply that those who do choose to have a home visit are somehow traitors to the cause - I have certainly read things over the years which imply that.<br /><br />In addition there are also some who "advise" families who are already in difficulty with the LA (or social services) to buckle down the hatches and repel any further contacts - which seems to alarm the authorities even more and so can have much more dramatic consequences. I have been personally involved with a few such cases, a couple of which ended up with children on the CPR or in court, when a little gritting of teeth and smiling nicely would have resolved the issues at a much earlier stage. In one of those cases the family was poorly advised (by both home educators on a national level and also organisations like FASSIT)- the outcome was that the family were whipped up into a state of hysteria and things got completely out of hand. One only has to read some of the outcomes of similar cases to realise that things like this don't end well.....Julienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-2632940093917989742011-04-17T06:58:32.718-07:002011-04-17T06:58:32.718-07:00"'Obviously not in the right places......"'Obviously not in the right places...'<br />Ooooh, do tell us which are the right places in your opinion?"<br /><br />HEUK has only been running since 2002, where were you before then if you've been involved 20+ years? The internet became useful to home educator from about 1996ish.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-86184575113816295522011-04-17T06:56:44.495-07:002011-04-17T06:56:44.495-07:00You haven't...
Says it all really.You haven't...<br />Says it all really.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-89497671195396164742011-04-17T06:54:33.283-07:002011-04-17T06:54:33.283-07:00'TCS is supposed to result in perfect marriage...'TCS is supposed to result in perfect marriages'<br /><br />Hardly Taking the Children Seriously. <br /><br />I'll bet their home ed was fun, watching Mum and Dad simmer and fight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-88929727932128029902011-04-17T06:54:18.407-07:002011-04-17T06:54:18.407-07:00"How many years have you' militants' ..."How many years have you' militants' been querying this?"<br /><br />I haven't, I'm not a militant, and I can't be bothered to do your research for you. I do remember various people over the years asking EO why accounts hadn't been submitted and various people also made enquiries with the Charities Commission, asking why they were not chasing EO up over their accounts. If I'm remembering correctly, complaints were also made.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-27599813504873079762011-04-17T06:50:21.381-07:002011-04-17T06:50:21.381-07:00How many years have you' militants' been q...How many years have you' militants' been querying this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-55826380487412202002011-04-17T06:49:56.770-07:002011-04-17T06:49:56.770-07:00Do you really not know of internet forums/email li...Do you really not know of internet forums/email lists that are older than HEUK?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7881402584568285627.post-30682821357488176432011-04-17T06:48:42.773-07:002011-04-17T06:48:42.773-07:00'Obviously not in the right places...'
Ooo...'Obviously not in the right places...'<br />Ooooh, do tell us which are the right places in your opinion?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com