Schools have been told they have to make special allowances for misbehaving pupils from gypsy and traveller families.Great! Can’t see any problems ahead with that policy, can you?
Teachers have been warned they could be taken to task under the Equality Act if they discipline or exclude such children from schools./facepalm
Cash-strapped schools are even told they should launch an ‘outreach’ programme with a dedicated member of staff to ‘build trust’ with traveller families.
Every school? Even those with no traveller population nearby?
Under Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance, teachers are told to be sympathetic to traveller parents because they struggle with ‘confidence’ issues and are put off attending school meetings to discuss their children’s behaviour.I just can’t imagine who thought this would be a good idea. Well, I can…
A guidance note said: ‘In cases where parents co-operate with the headteacher and are shown to be committed to assisting the pupil to manage their behaviour, it is less likely that the pupil will face exclusion.
‘This procedure may indirectly discriminate against the gypsy and traveller pupil whose parents may be less likely to come to the school to speak with the headteacher.’
Katharine Birbalsingh – who was fired as a deputy head after laying bare problems in the state school system – said: ‘The idea that certain groups should be protected from exclusion is nonsense.It’s the racism of low expectations again…
‘How insulting is this guidance for gypsy and traveller children? It basically suggests that they will go on to be problem pupils.’
"Even those with no traveller population nearby?"
ReplyDeleteOf course. If you have no traveller population nearby, you're a racist.
XX Teachers have been warned they could be taken to task under the Equality Act if they discipline or exclude such children from schools.XX
ReplyDeleteWhat is needed here, is someone with the money, to "sponsor" a case for descrimination against a school that excludes a normal pupil, but does not do so to a tink that is guilty of the same "offence".
So let me get this straight; A child from a traveller/gypsey community misbehaves in class but isn't allowed to be treated like any other child who misbehaves in class. This is because of legislation that says we have to treat everyone equally. Riiiiight.
ReplyDeleteSo let's be honest the piece of legislation should be called the Administering Privelege to Minorities Act.
One of my students is a youth worker. She struggles anyway with self-confidence and self-esteem issues, but working with some of the traveller youth in her group has reduced her to tears at times. Her issue is that they are rude to her, disruptive to the group and on occasions violent. Why should teachers and youth workers have to put up with such behaviour? Surely as professionals they are entitled to be treated with respect and courtesy by the children they teach and work with. I don't want to single out traveller children particularly - there are plenty of badly-behaved children from all backgrounds. But bad behaviour should be managed in the same way irrespective of ethnic origin. NOT to do so is racist.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I suggest you acquaint your student with the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog, it will save a world of hurt.
ReplyDeleteSo, no My Big Fat Gypsy Expulsion then...
ReplyDeleteThey are not 'travellers', they are dirty pikeys.
ReplyDeleteMy honest opinions about this rubbish would not be accepted by this, or any other web-site.
ReplyDeleteThe English language, with its rich Anglo-Saxon inheritance, does not contain invective sufficient to my requirements!
"So let's be honest the piece of legislation should be called the Administering Privelege to Minorities Act."
ReplyDeleteSpot on!
"But bad behaviour should be managed in the same way irrespective of ethnic origin. NOT to do so is racist."
Indeed. In the real sense of the word, not the bastardised term employed by most activists today.
"So, no My Big Fat Gypsy Expulsion then..."
If only. It could be the sequel!