More than a thousand gipsy and traveller children have been given laptop computers to help them with their schoolwork.(…speechless…)
The free equipment and wireless internet access is estimated to be worth up to £750 per pupil, and is costing the taxpayer £300,000 a year.
Some children are also being handed printers and digital cameras under a controversial Government-backed scheme aimed at encouraging them to stay in education.Should that be their parent’s job?
Oh, but we’ll see later that no, it isn’t…
Last night, the Conservatives, who obtained the figures, warned that the scheme risked fuelling resentment among taxpayers. Only days ago it emerged that gipsy and traveller children are being given priority admission to popular state schools.Quite. Nothing annoys ‘Middle England’ so much as unfairness. Particularly when they are expected to pay for it…
In addition, gipsy and traveller families are getting priority to see GPs and dentists.
Studies have shown that children who relocate regularly quickly become demotivated with learning and disengaged with their school friends and school life. In addition, many traveller parents provide little support for their children's academic learning, with a small number believing that formal education offers little or no value to their children's futures.So, it’s the fault of their lifestyle? Should they be expected, then, to change their lifestyle, at least while their children as school age?
To do otherwise would be…well, deliberately disadvantaging their children, wouldn’t it?
Tory local government spokesman Bob Neill said: 'However well-meaning, I am concerned the Government's policies on travellers threaten to undermine community cohesion and inflame community tensions.Can’t argue with that…
'The British people believe in fair play - it's not fair that one small group get privileged access to public services, whilst hard-working families who struggle to pay their bills and taxes are pushed to the back of the queue.'
On the plus side if you fancy buying a laptop there will be a lot of almost new models on sale at a market stall near you very soon.
ReplyDeleteHmm.
ReplyDeleteJulia, you should open a book on how long it takes the Camster to rebuke the 'Conservatives' involved - or to nuance what they said into his being down with the travellers and awa' wi' the raggle-taggle gipsies - o...
Put me down for a fiver on by the 5 o'clock news tonight.
"On the plus side if you fancy buying a laptop there will be a lot of almost new models on sale at a market stall near you very soon."
ReplyDeleteApparently, this already happened, but amazingly the authorities had taken the step of tagging it, and it was recovered...
"Julia, you should open a book on how long it takes the Camster to rebuke the 'Conservatives' involved.."
I'm betting he stays quiet. Particularly when he reads about the public response to this story...
Also, by giving them laptops it saves their families all the stress and hassle of stealing them from someone else. The police won't have to listlessly turn up two days later, thus saving money. And as the State will only have paid twice the normal rate for them, instead of the normal quadruple price favoured by the Simple Shopper, it will be a bargain!
ReplyDeleteRoss beat me to it.
ReplyDelete