Saturday - November 15, 2008

Here’s a sure Moonbat award. Schools forced to seek pupils’ views on discipline.

The lunacy never ends.  They just keep on finding new things to be really silly about.  These ppl need real jobs I think.
Oh right.  Who’d hire em?  Forgot.  The state of course.

Schools will be forced to ask pupils’ permission before imposing rules on discipline, uniform and the curriculum under new legislation.

By Graeme Paton, Education Editor
Last Updated: 9:25PM GMT 14 Nov 2008

In a move branded “crazy” by head teachers, all state schools will be legally obliged to consult children on major policies, including health and safety, food and equality.

Baroness Morgan, the Children’s Minister, insisted schools must do more than simply solicit pupils’ views on “what colour to paint the walls”.

The rules will be introduced as part of the Education and Skills Bill currently being debated in Parliament.

But the disclosure sparked outrage among teachers who said it would be “open to abuse”.

There were also fears it could trigger a raft of legal action as pupils and parents sue local authorities claiming children’s views were ignored.

(and of course that would NEVER happen)

Lord Elton, the Conservative peer, insisted pupils’ opinions had to be taken into account but said: “I am sorry that it has to be in legislation. We are a litigious nation, and it would be very unfortunate if we were to have a rash of cases of parents saying, ‘You were not listening to my little Johnny’.”

The Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment to the Bill in the House of Lords requiring school governors to “invite and consider pupils’ views”.

Ministers said the change, which received cross-party support, would be added to the legislation. The Bill is due to be debated in Parliament for the last time next week.

Baroness Morgan said it went further than existing rules which require schools to “have regard” to pupils’ opinions.

“Governing bodies must do more than simply solicit pupils’ views,” she told the Lords. “Through regulations, we intend to require governing bodies to invite views on a core set of policy matters. As a minimum, schools should seek and take account of pupils’ views on policies on the delivery of the curriculum, behaviour, the uniform, school food, health and safety, equalities and sustainability, not simply on what colour to paint the walls.”

She said schools would be exempt from discussing staff appointments or the school budget with children.

Guidance is expected to be drafted - and sent to schools - setting out the full detail of the rules.

The move follows the introduction of new-style Ofsted inspections, in which pupils are asked to rate teaching standards and conditions in their own school.

Many schools already include children on interview panels when appointing new staff.

But John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the latest move went too far,

“This is crazy”, he told the Times Educational Supplement. “I am a strong supporter of pupil voice, but schools are increasingly consulting pupils because they think it is the right thing to do, not because Government tells them to. I am annoyed and furious that yet another in this continual stream of legal and educational duties is being placed on schools.”

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT union, said: “This is completely unnecessary and will be open to abuse.”

http://tinyurl.com/5f7l5u

Oh Heaven help England.  The English won’t.

Posted by peiper     on 11/15/2008 at 09:41 AM   
Filed Under: • Education • Insanity • Stoopid-People • UK •  
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