Issues that people don't seem to make such a big deal of like they once did

[BlueIris]

Why does this matter so much to you?

[Lencoboy]

Why does this matter so much to you?

Not only because I feel it's unjust and oppressive, but also because there's other far more pressing issues that school teachers need to be dealing with, and policing the contents of pupils' lunchboxes is basically deflecting from those more pressing issues IMO.

And I know some will no doubt pipe up with 'well you left school years ago so is it really your problem anymore?'

While it's not really my problem anymore in the grand scheme of things, I did have food issues as a child, and particular bad experiences with school meals were one of the main origins (which I still feel emotionally damaged by some 40 years on), so therefore I feel as though it was a retrograde step by the schools concerned, and indeed makes a mockery of inclusivity, which we should all ultimately be striving for, especially in these more enlightened times.

To me this whole debacle smacks of excessive power-madness from certain headteachers, though this was some 10-15 years ago and for all I know said regimes might now no longer exist in the schools concerned.

[BlueIris]

Next question: what are you doing to strive for inclusivity?

I train our teaching staff in creating accessible learning materials and am currently looking into the different ways AI can be used to create a more personalised learning experience for students.

If you care so much, why not try to make a positive difference?

[Lencoboy]

Next question: what are you doing to strive for inclusivity?

I train our teaching staff in creating accessible learning materials and am currently looking into the different ways AI can be used to create a more personalised learning experience for students.

If you care so much, why not try to make a positive difference?

Well I don't work in education so I'm basically powerless in order to 'try to make a difference'.

While I know it was only a handful of schools that came up with that bizarre (IMO) policy of banning certain foods/drinks for consumption by pupils and the searching of their lunchboxes (and some 10-15 years ago), I just saw red when I happened to discover the news articles about said matters, especially as I found said policies both very 'police state' - like and Orwellian at the time, plus it also reminded me of my personal food-related issues some 40 years ago which like I said in my previous post, originated from bad experiences with school meals.

Ditto for some of the OTT 'one size fits all' rules/policies at my previous day centre; some of which I believe were more for the personal benefit of the staff rather than us clients, e. g, probably to avoid carrying out risk assessments, doing endless paperwork, etc.

[BlueIris]

There are a lot of community groups out there aiming to help people, though, and they're always looking for volunteers.

[Lencoboy]

There are a lot of community groups out there aiming to help people, though, and they're always looking for volunteers.

Yes you're correct. But a middle-aged male like myself is bound to arouse a fair amount of suspicion if seeking to do 'voluntary' work in a place like a school (for blindingly obvious reasons).

Plus schools (and likewise establishments) would be among the last places I would wish to set foot in these days. In fact, even me helping my dad install some AV equipment in a couple of schools about 15 years ago (for a friend of my dad's who worked for a company specialising in educational AV equipment who gave us the gig) made me feel a bit uneasy, even though it was during the 6-week summer break while the place was obviously devoid of pupils.

I just felt like some kind of intrusive 'menace' on the premises who didn't belong there, despite both being authorised to be on the premises and with all the pupils absent.

Conversely, those schools also felt a bit creepy, eerie and unnatural inside being virtually deserted, which I already covered in my 'Buildings/rooms with odd vibes' thread a couple of years ago.

[BlueIris]

I was actually referring to community centres and the like. Our local community radio station and free library have volunteers of all ages.

I think you might be happier if you spent less time ruminating on your own unhappiness and more time thinking of how to make others happy.

[Peter A]

People think smoking is cool, but it is destroying our health. Yes, second hand smoke is also a problem. So I support the new smoking law the government has planned.

[Lencoboy]

People think smoking is cool, but it is destroying our health. Yes, second hand smoke is also a problem. So I support the new smoking law the government has planned.

I agree 100% in principle, but I have my reservations about how enforceable such legislation is in practice, especially as they can't always effectively manage existing smoking-related legislation, such as parents smoking in cars with children present, some shops still seemingly selling tobacco products (and alcohol) to under 18s 'on the sly', presumably because they feel they need the profits and/or don't want the aggro from 'underage' customers when refusing such sales, etc.

I know on the face of it it may seem like I'm being defeatist and acting as an apologist for underage smokers and the like, but a lot of it is more to do with a chronic lack of resources among the authorities, plus they're often not really interested in dealing with such issues and never really have been as far back as I can remember.

I also believe such deficiencies are chronically entrenched into British society and culture in the long run in general, especially the 'rather just avoid/ignore issues than try to deal with them effectively' and 'not my problem' kind of attitudes.

Also the British govt (especially the Tories) are all talk and very little action a lot of the time anyway.