tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post4222737061372871750..comments2024-03-14T02:53:31.171+00:00Comments on Tom Bennett's School Report: Newsnight, and the Dark Arts of ExclusionTom Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03211959016018081924noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-21393056667276564972012-01-28T20:49:09.474+00:002012-01-28T20:49:09.474+00:00Not so sure about this one Tom. I certainly feel ...Not so sure about this one Tom. I certainly feel for the teachers - you truly are on the frontline and do a fantastic job. My heart goes out to you when faced by the behaviour of some of these students. That said, the students do tend to come from poor (not just economical, but positive affect, role models, opportunities, aspirations) backgrounds so I do struggle with putting the responsibility solely at their feet. I think as a society we collude far too frequently with the less than positive adults in children's lives - but a sole teacher is not in a strong enough position to challenge by themselves. They need the weight and backing of a team of adults. So while I don't disagree with young people taking responsibility for their actions, far from it, I do disagree with what is an inflammatory and simplified view of where these choices come from.<br /><br />My personal jury has been out to lunch for a very long time on the special school issue. I cannot work out whether or not I agree with them or not.Sullivannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-29701568252764325022012-01-25T18:05:24.715+00:002012-01-25T18:05:24.715+00:00I teach in a school that has lots of errr... vulne...I teach in a school that has lots of errr... vulnerable kids. The only thing that stopped me punching a hole in the TV screen during that "everyone's fault but hers" Newsnight item was the open-gobbed look on my husband's face. "A POLE???" "She pushed her teacher and she's SMIRKING about it? In front of her MOTHER?" Does he think I make all this stuff up?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-20444980479591244952012-01-24T10:30:28.374+00:002012-01-24T10:30:28.374+00:00I think Newsnight should go all the way in helping...I think Newsnight should go all the way in helping this poor girl - give her a job right there in the main office and let her real talents shine.<br /><br />Follow her week by week with more news clips about how she's getting along, how giving her the right opportunity and understanding was all she needed to fulfill her potential.<br /><br />Then teacher's union (or whatever organization British teachers have) can do an exit video on how unfairly the Newsnight staff treated her when they throw her out on the street for the same behaviors she used at school.<br /><br />I teach in Philadelphia (U.S.) and too many of our schools have the same problems you describe. One advantage however is that Americans generally ridicule the Chloes and any news stations that try to canonize them. The pole in her bedroom would have been icing on the cake for our pundits.Madeleinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12446930719278502919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-88191767521180520692012-01-24T09:58:00.855+00:002012-01-24T09:58:00.855+00:00@ Rab
To be fair on Newsnight, I think it's a...@ Rab<br /><br />To be fair on Newsnight, I think it's a widespread problem- everyone gives education a little tickle, because everyone reckons they can have a punt, because, well ANYONE can do it, eh?<br /><br />Ideally, they should go to a 'special school', yes, where they are trained to deal with kids like this, and the ratio of staff to student is high AND it would be run like a loving tyranny, based on clear boundaries and consequences. Second best option is, yes, another school, at least for the sake of the kids left behind, and the chance to try again somewhere else. It's a terrible option, but until we invest in suitable centres for the wayward then it's practically all we've got. There are some excellent PRUs and exclusion saloons, but not many, and many are pathetically funded. No one appears to have thought this through...Tom Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03211959016018081924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-20562528660014672932012-01-24T09:43:59.503+00:002012-01-24T09:43:59.503+00:00One point and a question:
Newsnight has been prod...One point and a question:<br /><br />Newsnight has been produced by media studies students on work experience for that past year, that's why it's so routinely bad.<br /><br />And the question: I think the case for expelling students who have drunk too long in the Last Chance Saloon is compelling. But what to we do with them once their expelled? Another school? A 'special' school?Rabhttp://mediastudiesisshit.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-87282413934384612262012-01-22T21:29:37.254+00:002012-01-22T21:29:37.254+00:00Thanks for this - it has long needed saying. When...Thanks for this - it has long needed saying. When will the public realise that if there is one major obstacle to learning taking place in our schools, it is BEHAVIOUR? Until and unless this is tackled - and FAST - with exclusions where necessary - nothing can improve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-34787000280882747802012-01-21T17:35:19.656+00:002012-01-21T17:35:19.656+00:00I do have a problem with Academies and there is a...I do have a problem with Academies and there is an issue with how a local Academy encourages its more challenging pupils to transfer to a local LA school.I do think local authorities have a really important role in scrutinising these trends but central government is too busy claiming that LAs are evil incarnate...<br /><br />Anyway none of this came out of the interview because teacher pusher and pole dancer Chloe and Ma were too busy feeling sorry for themselves...<br /><br />Such a wasted opportunityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-72885327148351146172012-01-21T00:23:10.656+00:002012-01-21T00:23:10.656+00:00I had a somewhat sad realisation whilst reading. I...I had a somewhat sad realisation whilst reading. I'm in my early thirties and when I was in about year 10 at school, one of my delightful peers started arriving to school armed. Repeatedly they were confiscated only for him to arrive with some other implement, he boasted his detentions and short term expulsions-badges of pride and all. He pinned my lovely 5ft nothing history teacher in a corner after a class one day and threatened him with the knife. Said boy only left the school after being arrested for pulling his knife on a policeman (because that apparently *is* taken seriously). After he had gone, I learned from my history teacher that they "hadn't been allowed" to exclude him. <br />And in what 15 years or so it has not only got no better, but is evidently far worse. How utterly depressing.<br />Less depressingly-love reading your blog.Lottehttps://twitter.com/#!/laraloolanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-73613555897000227282012-01-20T18:37:53.345+00:002012-01-20T18:37:53.345+00:00This piece should be nailed to the door of every h...This piece should be nailed to the door of every household in the land with the Righteuous Sledgehammer of FuckYou +3. Hurrah!<br /><br />CliveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-30665657375833989232012-01-19T21:28:16.894+00:002012-01-19T21:28:16.894+00:00Thanks for your comment- sorry to hear about it th...Thanks for your comment- sorry to hear about it though!Tom Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03211959016018081924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-6531921207134801112012-01-19T21:16:56.974+00:002012-01-19T21:16:56.974+00:00I love reading your blog - wanted to comment as I ...I love reading your blog - wanted to comment as I work with 'the vulnerable' - I've lost count of the number of times I've beeen called a c**t this year. It's doing nothing for my self-esteem!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-87977628603421724962012-01-19T15:38:57.506+00:002012-01-19T15:38:57.506+00:00@ John
Cheers, chum.@ John<br /><br />Cheers, chum.Tom Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03211959016018081924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-91526593406941101332012-01-19T15:38:40.399+00:002012-01-19T15:38:40.399+00:00@irondanimal
Good question. It was more the fact ...@irondanimal<br /><br />Good question. It was more the fact that I edit all my own copy and some paragraphs feel like they deserve a good swear more than others. Also, I start off with sweet-mouthed intentions and end up frothing and cussing like a Parkie.<br /><br />Also: laziness.Tom Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03211959016018081924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-86050237695042281812012-01-19T15:36:31.843+00:002012-01-19T15:36:31.843+00:00@ Anonymous 1
Couldn't agree more@ Anonymous 1<br /><br />Couldn't agree moreTom Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03211959016018081924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-26527718843515815132012-01-19T09:39:39.786+00:002012-01-19T09:39:39.786+00:00Thank you so much for posting this. Amid the moun...Thank you so much for posting this. Amid the mountains of detention paperwork, lists of parents to be phoned and the regular torrents of abuse from their little darlings, it can be easy to start wondering if it's just me experiencing these things...<br /><br />My academy, contrary to the report, seems desperate to keep such pupils IN school, thereby rendering any attempt at sanctions for these "usual suspects" completely useless.Cazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726906665336131367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-48792714966830876622012-01-18T23:18:33.985+00:002012-01-18T23:18:33.985+00:00Excellent!Excellent!Johnhttp://www.johnpearce.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-834746252853808172012-01-18T22:32:10.417+00:002012-01-18T22:32:10.417+00:00Spot on as usual.
How come you don't bleep ou...Spot on as usual.<br /><br />How come you don't bleep out "cunt" and "shit" but do bleep out "F*cking"? Is it because you were quoting someone else and then using your own voice?irondanimalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3019828684971971203.post-6449708018684801302012-01-18T21:55:54.857+00:002012-01-18T21:55:54.857+00:00At last someone speaks the truth. The most vulnera...At last someone speaks the truth. The most vulnerable are often the staff who don't have the same protection as other agencies when it comes to physical aggression and verbal abuse. No option of refusing to teach them. <br /><br />Not allowing exclusions means hours wasted on paperwork caused by keeping the 5% in school. Not to mention staff close to burn out. walk a mile in our shoes...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com