Hello everyone!
I've been meaning to talk about this for ages... and here it is... the Denmark teacher lockout.
Unless you have some sort of connection with Denmark, you probably won't know about this. I do have a connection with Denmark - I know people in Copenhagen, I've been there on holiday and I'm actually flying out there in less than two weeks now - and one of my Danish friends has told me about something appalling that is going on with Danish schools at the moment. Since then, I have been researching all that I can find about it (which isn't a lot) so that I can write a decent blog post about it.
There is quite a backstory to this, I had better explain it in detail (this is mostly information that I have gained through talking to people in Denmark, rather than from news articles and through websites etc). The Danish government (fronted by Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt) has decided that school students, even those young enough to attend primary school, should attend school from 8am to 4pm each day. Naturally, there are many teachers who have raised a lot of objection to this, and there have been demonstrations - even a case of teachers forming a 35 km line in protest. In response, the Government has locked teachers out of their own schools, essentially closing the schools in an attempt to force teachers to accept the changes.
This is obviously very unfair, and extremely detrimental to some of the older students facing exams. Apparently the official line is that this is happening because all of the other developed countries do it. Now, regardless of the very clear 'follow the herd' message that is coming there, I can say with a degree of certainty, as a young person from the UK who was in the school system himself until very recently, that this is absolutely not true. We certainly don't have a system like that in the UK, and if we did it would be terrible. Also, from what I have heard, in countries where these systems do happen they actually don't work very well - although this is speculation. The fact that the Danish government are trying to intimidate teachers into admitting defeat does shock me actually, and I have a lot of admiration for the teachers involved who are standing their ground and can hopefully beat this thing. This has been going on since the end of the Easter holidays, and from what I have heard, neither side is prepared to back down as of yet.
My thoughts for people to cherish and admire in this entry would have to be all of the Danish teachers who are putting their hearts and souls into fighting this thing. My friend in Denmark is a teacher, and luckily her school has not been affected, but the majority of schools have been. I hope that the teachers don't give up so that the older students can take their exams - I completely appreciate their position, but I have no doubt that once all of this has calmed down, they will have the opportunity to retake. For the moment, I think the emphasis has to be on standing up and making sure that the government does not get away with this move. If there are any Danish teachers reading this, please carry on your stance and do not give up! I think it is so important to stand up to get one's voice heard in the face of intimidation, and this kind of action just goes to show how committed these teachers are to their jobs and to their students. If this is still going on when I am in Denmark, I may well try to get involved with this action.
This is only rather a short post, and I concede not as well-written as some. However, I think that it's important to get this message out there, and to increase awareness of this situation to the world at large. If I didn't know people in Denmark, I would not be aware of this myself.
Thanks, blogsters!
Sunday 21 April 2013
Monday 8 April 2013
Margaret Thatcher and Lucy Meadows
Hello, blogsters! Been a little while since I updated this again, hasn't it?
Now, I have a few things to talk about, and obviously I have to start with the big thing that has happened. Margaret Thatcher has died. I'll talk a little more on this later, but first up I'll make it clear (as will probably be obvious to anyone who knows anything at all about me) that Margaret Thatcher was not a woman who I like very much.
Now to move on to the first main point of my article. I probably could have done better by talking about this earlier, but recently a primary school teacher called Lucy Meadows was found dead, possibly due to suicide. It is commonly believed that the reason for this was because of negative attention by the press, due to the fact that prior to gender reassignment, Miss Meadows was known as Nathan Upton. There was a particularly vindictive article by the Daily Mail's rather disgusting Richard Littlejohn, which has since been taken down from the website. However, I have found a blog that has reprinted it, which I would like you to read:
http://robinwinslow.co.uk/2013/03/23/hes-not-only-in-the-wrong-body-repost.html
It makes me so angry that in the 2010s, our hatred of someone whom we do not understand can lead to this. What Littlejohn, and others, fail to realise is that children are considerably less judgemental of what they do not understand than adults. The school itself was fantastic in dealing with this situation - the head teacher in particular comes across as being really understanding and supportive - and apparently they went all around the classrooms to explain why the former Mr Upton felt the need to become Miss Meadows. Now, if explained clearly, this does not confuse or upset children AT ALL. Maybe it's because I'm only 19 so it isn't very long since I was one, but I don't understand why adults think certain things should be kept from children because 'they won't understand it, it will just confuse them'. Children aren't stupid, in fact the majority of the time they are better-equipped than adults to deal with such situations. Compare their reaction to that to their reaction when told that their teacher is dead, for example.
Anyway, there is a campaign to get Littlejohn fired, and I totally support this move. To victimise a person such as Lucy in this way is utterly wrong. Regardless of her death, how is it possibly fair to drag the name of someone who has done nothing wrong and has actually been very brave through the mud in this way? I have had issues with Littlejohn in the past, as he wrote a very offensive article about the amazing Jody McIntyre, comparing him to a character from Little Britain. This however, is too far. Littlejohn needs to go. So please sign the petition:
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-daily-mail-fire-richard-littlejohn-for-victimizing-lucy-meadows-possibly-leading-to-her-committing-suicide
And now, coming on to Margaret Thatcher. I have been involved in an online debate today about whether or not it is moral to laugh and celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher. Now, let's be clear. I don't like Thatcher; although to be fair I wasn't actually born when she was in power, so I don't like her more on what I have heard than what I have experienced first-hand. I have a small amount of respect for her; I think you have to have some respect for someone who will go in and completely change the way things are run because of what they believe in without worrying about the backlash, especially if they are the first woman to fill that role. However, the disdain I have for her policies completely outweigh that very low level of respect. I have enough disdain for her to laugh at the nasty comments about her that lots of people have put on their Facebook profiles.
Now, is this fair? Yes, a person who was hated by a great number of people is gone for good, but still, an old woman has had a stroke and died, and she had family who loved her and are grieving at the moment. Some people feel that it is sick that people make light of this situation, and in all fairness I do believe that they have a point. However, I think that a much greater point is that if someone is a controversial figure and does things that upset people, then it is natural that there will be a number of tongue-in-cheek comments when they die. I won't be going to any parties or celebrating because I think it's horrible to celebrate someone's death - even with someone like Osama, I was baffled at how people could celebrate that. But I still maintain that Margaret Thatcher was someone who was loathed by a great many people, myself included. And while my sympathies go to her family, if her supporters can say what was great about her, her condemners should be able to laugh and take the piss out of her. I myself put her 'The lady's not returning!' comment on my Facebook profile (which I confess to having stolen from isthatcherdeadyet.co.uk.)
Here is an article that if related to this which I found when a friend of mine posted it in a Facebook group:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/08/margaret-thatcher-death-etiquette
I was going to write about the Denmark teacher lockout as well, but I think I'm too tired right now. I'll write about that tomorrow, or in the next few days.
Ciao!
EDIT: I forgot to mention, I find it very interesting how we do not have enough money for everyone to have free healthcare, somewhere to live and a decent job, yet we seem to have more than enough to pay for Baroness Thatcher's funeral. I know she isn't getting a state funeral anymore, but it will still be a grand affair that will cost a bomb. What an interesting insight into the priorities of the people in charge of our budget...
Now, I have a few things to talk about, and obviously I have to start with the big thing that has happened. Margaret Thatcher has died. I'll talk a little more on this later, but first up I'll make it clear (as will probably be obvious to anyone who knows anything at all about me) that Margaret Thatcher was not a woman who I like very much.
Now to move on to the first main point of my article. I probably could have done better by talking about this earlier, but recently a primary school teacher called Lucy Meadows was found dead, possibly due to suicide. It is commonly believed that the reason for this was because of negative attention by the press, due to the fact that prior to gender reassignment, Miss Meadows was known as Nathan Upton. There was a particularly vindictive article by the Daily Mail's rather disgusting Richard Littlejohn, which has since been taken down from the website. However, I have found a blog that has reprinted it, which I would like you to read:
http://robinwinslow.co.uk/2013/03/23/hes-not-only-in-the-wrong-body-repost.html
It makes me so angry that in the 2010s, our hatred of someone whom we do not understand can lead to this. What Littlejohn, and others, fail to realise is that children are considerably less judgemental of what they do not understand than adults. The school itself was fantastic in dealing with this situation - the head teacher in particular comes across as being really understanding and supportive - and apparently they went all around the classrooms to explain why the former Mr Upton felt the need to become Miss Meadows. Now, if explained clearly, this does not confuse or upset children AT ALL. Maybe it's because I'm only 19 so it isn't very long since I was one, but I don't understand why adults think certain things should be kept from children because 'they won't understand it, it will just confuse them'. Children aren't stupid, in fact the majority of the time they are better-equipped than adults to deal with such situations. Compare their reaction to that to their reaction when told that their teacher is dead, for example.
Anyway, there is a campaign to get Littlejohn fired, and I totally support this move. To victimise a person such as Lucy in this way is utterly wrong. Regardless of her death, how is it possibly fair to drag the name of someone who has done nothing wrong and has actually been very brave through the mud in this way? I have had issues with Littlejohn in the past, as he wrote a very offensive article about the amazing Jody McIntyre, comparing him to a character from Little Britain. This however, is too far. Littlejohn needs to go. So please sign the petition:
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-daily-mail-fire-richard-littlejohn-for-victimizing-lucy-meadows-possibly-leading-to-her-committing-suicide
And now, coming on to Margaret Thatcher. I have been involved in an online debate today about whether or not it is moral to laugh and celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher. Now, let's be clear. I don't like Thatcher; although to be fair I wasn't actually born when she was in power, so I don't like her more on what I have heard than what I have experienced first-hand. I have a small amount of respect for her; I think you have to have some respect for someone who will go in and completely change the way things are run because of what they believe in without worrying about the backlash, especially if they are the first woman to fill that role. However, the disdain I have for her policies completely outweigh that very low level of respect. I have enough disdain for her to laugh at the nasty comments about her that lots of people have put on their Facebook profiles.
Now, is this fair? Yes, a person who was hated by a great number of people is gone for good, but still, an old woman has had a stroke and died, and she had family who loved her and are grieving at the moment. Some people feel that it is sick that people make light of this situation, and in all fairness I do believe that they have a point. However, I think that a much greater point is that if someone is a controversial figure and does things that upset people, then it is natural that there will be a number of tongue-in-cheek comments when they die. I won't be going to any parties or celebrating because I think it's horrible to celebrate someone's death - even with someone like Osama, I was baffled at how people could celebrate that. But I still maintain that Margaret Thatcher was someone who was loathed by a great many people, myself included. And while my sympathies go to her family, if her supporters can say what was great about her, her condemners should be able to laugh and take the piss out of her. I myself put her 'The lady's not returning!' comment on my Facebook profile (which I confess to having stolen from isthatcherdeadyet.co.uk.)
Here is an article that if related to this which I found when a friend of mine posted it in a Facebook group:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/08/margaret-thatcher-death-etiquette
I was going to write about the Denmark teacher lockout as well, but I think I'm too tired right now. I'll write about that tomorrow, or in the next few days.
Ciao!
EDIT: I forgot to mention, I find it very interesting how we do not have enough money for everyone to have free healthcare, somewhere to live and a decent job, yet we seem to have more than enough to pay for Baroness Thatcher's funeral. I know she isn't getting a state funeral anymore, but it will still be a grand affair that will cost a bomb. What an interesting insight into the priorities of the people in charge of our budget...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)