Covid-19 discussion thread

[dorabella]

What about those teachers who used to have affairs with pupils (and vice versa) and secretly getting up to all kinds of dubious things behind closed doors, and cadging booze and fags off each other?

That most certainly amounted to being 'friends' and acting informally, and inappropriately, IMO.

No hard feelings though, Dorabella, as I'm sure you're a good person at heart, and you seem rather level-headed in most other areas.

Oh dear I do seem to have ruffled a few feathers.....

I am a level headed and rational person, which is precisely why I couldn't stomach what I experienced in my brief time as a teacher. Lets just say that by the time I had traipsed through the ideology, theory, social engineering and general PC nonsense that has invaded the profession and the syllabii over the last 20 years, I found that there was little space left for actual teaching. Of course there are good teachers and bad teachers and not wishing to generalise one way or the other, most knuckle down under the current system that the state has imposed on the profession ... but I was not one of them. Just my opinion and based on personal experience and not 'stupidity'.

[Lencoboy]

Oh dear I do seem to have ruffled a few feathers.....

I am a level headed and rational person, which is precisely why I couldn't stomach what I experienced in my brief time as a teacher. Lets just say that by the time I had traipsed through the ideology, theory, social engineering and general PC nonsense that has invaded the profession and the syllabii over the last 20 years, I found that there was little space left for actual teaching. Of course there are good teachers and bad teachers and not wishing to generalise one way or the other, most knuckle down under the current system that the state has imposed on the profession ... but I was not one of them. Just my opinion and based on personal experience and not 'stupidity'.

I think what you're saying applies to many other professions too, especially health and social care.

It does seem to revolve around ideology, social engineering, PC-gawn-mad and a general appeasement culture that we should learn to be more tolerant of the weaker, often clueless staff members who keep making the same old mistakes time and time again, especially when in pursuit of their own personal agendas.

About 20 years ago there was another client at my old day centre with extreme hard-right political views who was very racist, anti-police, and even proclaimed to side with the IRA. He used to make vulgar remarks about Blair and also used to shout out obscenities like 'eff off' , the C-word that rhymes with 'hunt' and 'woofters' for example outside Boots in our main indoor shopping centre whenever we were in town as a group and the staff never even reprimanded him, saying about free expression and all that, but at the same time had the nerve to revel in zero tolerance policies in response to the moral panic concerning abuse of NHS workers sweeping the country at the time, and would sometimes physically restrain other clients for seemingly trivial infractions like refusing to join their intended group activities.

Seemed like double standards once again where anything goes for some, and unjust hard-line treatment for others!

[Pamplemousse]

I was thinking about paying a visit to a local attraction today as I'd sort of had a loose invite to go there, but after an encounter with some yokel at the cemetery yesterday I have come to the conclusion that people are stupid and irresponsible (especially older ones), have no idea of social distancing and do not take this virus seriously. So I am staying indoors; later I might see if I have a spare broom handle around and I will mark it up so that the end of it is two metres from my extended arm and use it to keep people at a distance. Stuff social niceties, this is a real life or death matter for me now.

[Lencoboy]

I was thinking about paying a visit to a local attraction today as I'd sort of had a loose invite to go there, but after an encounter with some yokel at the cemetery yesterday I have come to the conclusion that people are stupid and irresponsible (especially older ones), have no idea of social distancing and do not take this virus seriously. So I am staying indoors; later I might see if I have a spare broom handle around and I will mark it up so that the end of it is two metres from my extended arm and use it to keep people at a distance. Stuff social niceties, this is a real life or death matter for me now.

I know what you're saying PM, there are people of all age groups with 'don't give a damn' attitudes.

But sadly it's almost always youngsters, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities that seem to get it in the neck the most.

Twas ever thus I suppose.

[Pamplemousse]

I am also getting fed up of the hyperbole used by the Covidiots, that somehow these day-to-day restrictions are "tyranny".

Tyranny is being woken up in the middle of the night, dragged from your apartment, having your windows smashed and your business burnt to the ground before you're shepherded off into a train of cattle vans.

It is NOT being asked to wear a bit of paper over your face in a shop for twenty or fewer minutes, nor is it an infringement of what some see as their divine right to get hammered in a pub on a nightly basis.

[fishman65]

Just to add to the teaching question of whether teachers are better or worse than they used to be, I can only judge on the basis of my experiences as a pupil. I was at secondary school between 1976 and 81. Our headmaster was tough but fair, if you hadn't broken any rules you were fine. Though question his authority and you would know about it. One lunchtime I had gone into town with friends and bought chips with my dinner money. I should have been in the school hall buying my dinner and I was caught by a teacher on playground duty and told to report to the headmaster's office.

I was petrified as I knocked on his door and this booming voice said 'come in'. He asked why I was in his office so I told him. He bellowed 'do you want me to phone your mother boy?' Probably the worst thing he could have suggested so I promised not to go into town again and he let me off with a warning. But this same man would be dressing up as Santa Claus at Christmas.

The deputy head was a different matter. Looking back now I'm sure he must have been sociopathic. He would rage at boys until they burst into tears, always walking along the corridors swinging his cane. My maths teacher was cruel, delighting in humiliating boys in front of the class, which would occasionally be me as maths wasn't my best subject. Then when he'd got halfway through a calculation on the blackboard he'd ask me to finish it.

But my English teacher was brilliant, always encouraging me and he was instrumental in getting me promoted to the top set. I can honestly say though that I hated school, no cosy memories there for me.

[AntsyVee]

Oh dear I do seem to have ruffled a few feathers.....

I am a level headed and rational person, which is precisely why I couldn't stomach what I experienced in my brief time as a teacher. Lets just say that by the time I had traipsed through the ideology, theory, social engineering and general PC nonsense that has invaded the profession and the syllabii over the last 20 years, I found that there was little space left for actual teaching. Of course there are good teachers and bad teachers and not wishing to generalise one way or the other, most knuckle down under the current system that the state has imposed on the profession ... but I was not one of them. Just my opinion and based on personal experience and not 'stupidity'.

It sounds like the English educational system does need an over-haul. The horrors expressed a few pages back made me shudder. But I doubt it's just as simple as going back to "more discipline" and avoiding "pc nonsense."

[phil06]

I read they will vaccinate the NHS staff before Xmas. Hope for a better 2021 maybe?

[AntsyVee]

I read they will vaccinate the NHS staff before Xmas. Hope for a better 2021 maybe?

Yes, I'm also hoping they have an effective vaccine soon. I think that is what we all have to hope for.

[Pamplemousse]

It sounds like the English educational system does need an over-haul. The horrors expressed a few pages back made me shudder. But I doubt it's just as simple as going back to "more discipline" and avoiding "pc nonsense."

Unfortunately the current administration started meddling with the education system back in 2010 and removed stuff like teaching "critical thinking" from the curriculum. There are those who'd like an "education" to be nothing more than knowing the times table and naming the kings and queens of England in order.