The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Inspirational stuff as ever from the wonderful Kelly Green…

http://kellygreenandgold.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/home-educator-as-leagle-beagle-who-knew/

So where exactly do we stand on this? Do we fight to the death or draw up a new battle plan?

Oh, I’ll fight to the death all right if this Bill continues to attempt to trample all over my life, but is the time coming when a compromise may be in our best interest?

I agree with what Kelly said, though don’t get me wrong, I would love to happily trundle along as we are without anyone interfering, but lets face reality here, that’s not going to happen. Even if the relevant stuff in the CSF Bill gets trashed this issue will come up again and again. So will we have to look at our options and look for a compromise?

First and foremost what needs doing is the authorities need to put their own house in order. What requires legislating is the LA’s not the families. They need national structure, they are the ones who should have the piece of paper that tells them exactly what their job is and shows them very clearly where the line, accompanied by a great big sign saying Do Not Cross, is.

At this point in time I also believe that some sort of notification scheme would be a good thing (and I’m using the word good for want of a better word at 7:13am!). How many of us, after all this, fears that ‘knock on the door’? Because that has been happening. I’m not entirely sure why LA officials have been turning up on doorsteps, are they trying to catch people out? *Nervously looks over shoulder*   Regardless, it is rude in my opinion, if they know where you live why not send a letter first? Common courtesy and all that. And when they do write to you or ring you they insist on making arrangements for a visit when they have no legal right to do so. Eh? There’s something very wrong in the world when I know more about the law than the people who are there to make sure we’re obeying it!

And some of the stories I’ve heard, am hearing! Jeeeez! Some LA’s have for years been telling parents wishing to remove their children from school that home education is illegal. Some LA’s bandy about their individual guidelines as law, non compliance in accordance with the law = terrifying parents with threats of being taken to court. There is a mountain of evidence of coercion, bullying tactics and discrimination against families, lifestyles and educational styles… and they expect families to cooperate? Why would anyone cooperate when there’s a chance that something as insignificant as burning incense makes its way into a report about educational provision?

Anyhoo, I waffle a tad off course… Notification. Would this make us sleep easier in our beds? I’m pretty sure it would me. Options. We either have the reams of paperwork, silly demands for attainment schedules, advance notification of what the next year will bring for our children, the overhanging threat of the big REGISTRATION REFUSED rubber stamp should something not be quite right. Or we can constantly look over our shoulders in fear, after all if nothing at all is done to regulate us we’ll be going through the ‘hidden children’ argument over and over again, the finger of suspicion will never go away. Devil and the deep blue sea.

And then there’s notification. A quick, simple and painless process of saying this is who we are, where we are, we’re home educating, thank you very much! No scope at all for them to turn round and say no.

Ah but then the downside. I’ve listened to the debates. Educational provision will then have to be checked. It’s all very well knowing who and where we are but are we doing what’s best for our children? (Pompous arrogant dipsticks!)

A sticky one! Personally, if it came to the crunch, I’d have no problem with the odd light touch visit, cup of tea, blah, blah, blah, toodles. But if current LA practices are anything to go by, unless they pull their socks up and are well trained in home education (not just education!) then they can go whistle! I’m not tarring all LA’s with the same brush here, there are some out there that are shining beacons in the yucky slightly green tinged smog of EHE guidelines and practice.

And, oh, I’m back onto the issue of LA training a whole other topic all on its own! Something that bothers me because this training (what form it will take has never been mentioned) has to be organised, rolled out and implemented by April next year and all the while the government is still fannying around trying to understand what home education is let alone teach people to monitor it!

Put your own damn house in order before you start in on mine, learn from the best, something that should have been done ages ago instead of spending all this time and money on reviews and arguments filled with lies! Target those council employees who aren’t doing their jobs properly instead of the parents who are! Pull your heads out of your backsides for long enough to realise that most of you could do much much better!

So where should the battle lines be drawn? We’ve done nothing but bang our heads against a brick wall for the last year, is it time for a tactical retreat? A compromise and a little bit of cooperation in order to educate Local Authorities and government? Gosh, that sticks in my throat! But could it be mutually beneficial? Would it give us peace of mind finding that middle ground? Answers on a postcard please… LOL

But then again even if we do take that route how on earth do we get them to listen? They haven’t listened thus far!

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