EF's thoughts about HE politics
I've just read Elderfaery's latest blog post, which is her take on the current home ed political situation. In Denmark, where she is, things are very different, and she's discovered that the US attitude and approach is different again.
Maybe we need to lift our heads up and look around at the way some others in the world do things and see things and also start to think laterally about our strategy for dealing with government and officialdom.
EF's views resonate more with me than anything I've read on other blogs or on mailing lists and I had a chat with our local government chief ed welfare officer yesterday which reminded me that he is an honourable, well-meaning man who supports HEing parents want to do. These kind of connections between real people are possibly the key to sorting things out in a less confrontational way that works better for us.
As EF points out, the numbers are still vastly against us. The great majority of people conform with the school system and many think that every child should be made to learn in that way. Unless and until that changes, we're going to be in a vulnerable position and we strengthen that, possibly, by making friends not enemies.
I've still got a lot of thinking to do about this and will blog more about it in the next few weeks, but for now, if you like, take a look at EF's post and see what you think.
Maybe we need to lift our heads up and look around at the way some others in the world do things and see things and also start to think laterally about our strategy for dealing with government and officialdom.
EF's views resonate more with me than anything I've read on other blogs or on mailing lists and I had a chat with our local government chief ed welfare officer yesterday which reminded me that he is an honourable, well-meaning man who supports HEing parents want to do. These kind of connections between real people are possibly the key to sorting things out in a less confrontational way that works better for us.
As EF points out, the numbers are still vastly against us. The great majority of people conform with the school system and many think that every child should be made to learn in that way. Unless and until that changes, we're going to be in a vulnerable position and we strengthen that, possibly, by making friends not enemies.
I've still got a lot of thinking to do about this and will blog more about it in the next few weeks, but for now, if you like, take a look at EF's post and see what you think.
posted by Gill at 9:38 am
8 Comments:
I feel that maybe some L.A officials can be connected with and converted to see H.E as a good thing but I know from bitter experience some never will and it only takes one blinkered person to spoil the whole idea of any constructive relationship with them. The L.A I am is like that and I do not think it is the only one. The law as it stands now is the only thing keeping them off most of our backs and even then they try to get round it and "interpretate" it to their own ends. I think some H.E have been guilty of being too accommodating to L.A's who, given an inch, have taken a mile and it is very difficult to put them in their place when that has been going on for a long time. To my knowledge I was the first here to refuse a H.V. I was branded a trouble maker and made a scapegoat by the L.A( calling in SS)to get everyone else to tow the line. Most don't want visits but feel intimidated and accept them as a necessary evil. I find the L.A hierachy have less axes to grind but this never filters down to the little Hitlers doing the actually H.E inspection jobs. So maybe dialogue works in some cases but possibly not many.
interpretate? Sorry -typo day.
Thats a very good point Ruth. I do tend to forget they're not all as reasonable as calderdale.
Would yours have been happy to have am HE representative meet with you and then talk to them instead, do you think? Would you have been happier with it? I dunno, maybe its a mad idea. We're all busy HEing, aren't we? Just trying to think of other solutions that haven't come up yet.
I don't think our LA would be happy doing anything but its own power trips. I think if we have to have a monitoring system in place it should not be from the LA, who have axes to grind, but an outside body who can view us as people/families, not the enemy. That is what I would be happier with. I can't see most LA wearing that. Unless it was made law.The petty mindedness of LA's is viewed with shock by my US blog readers. L.A's should not be monitoring H.E when their whole function is getting children into school and keeping them there. I don't think mediation a bad idea. I just see it won't work with all LA's. My other idea is a law they all have to abide by. So they all sing from the same songbook. How H.E are treated is postcode lottery at the moment.
Hmmm, that does need resolving. Although our lot try it on with families they think aren't in touch with the rest of us. When they find out they've made contact with us, they usually back off.
This is something I'm meaning to blog about: a lot of them think 'some families are not fit to HE' - been banging my head against that wall with them for years.
Has Alison not done her course with your lot then yet? Maybe we can push for them all to receive some proper training from Alison or Mike. Or to have LEAs monitored by home ed groups. Or both.
Getting desperate for ideas now. Can you tell? ^^
Have also lost password for your blog :( Must have a better look tomorrow.
Yes Alison did. Chief Hitler was there( ask her what went on. I can't blog it )TBh Gill I think ours is a minority - I hope so anyway. Otherwise we are all screwed.
I don't know, I think a few others are as bad Ruth. The rest of us need to keep that in mind always. Keep reminding us LOL!
"The rest of us need to keep that in mind always. Keep reminding us LOL!"
I will but it was noted by another LA how bad our LA's attitude is to H.E and that comforted me a bit cos I thought at least some are reasonable. Time to move I think.LOL
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