The Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson says lockdown has impacted on children’s “discipline and order” and wants schools to remind children “how to behave well”.
I have to be honest, I thought children conformed to the Government rules far too well. I was expecting, no, I was hoping for far more rebellious behaviour from teenagers. But apparently Mr Williamson disagrees
So what are they going to do about these naughty, unruly children who are misbehaving in school after a whole year of authoritarian lockdowns, social distancing, 7 inch sticks shoved up their noses, 24/7 fear mongering nonsense from all media orifaces?
Behaviour Hub
Enter the government’s new indoctrination programme, which will help to increase conformity and discipline in children. This 10 million pound brainwashing operation will select schools with the most well conforming children and get them to assist those schools with less conforming children.
Officials have appointed 22 “lead schools” across the country, all of which have strong behaviour policies and receive glowing Ofsted reports.
These schools will be responsible for assisting and advising other struggling schools to improve their discipline regimes, for example, by banning mobile phones and implementing quiet corridors. – Mirror[1]
Mr Williamson said:
“Maintaining good discipline is an absolute must in any classroom and is one of our key priorities. Out-of-control behaviour will also destroy the wholesome and happy environment that every school should have, leading to bullying, and turning playgrounds from a place of joy to a jungle.” – BBC[2]
Mental Health
Of course the blame for all of this can be placed at the very toes of the Government, what did you expect?
Children have been thrown into a World over night very different to the one they once knew. Children have been forced to live largely in social isolation.
For a child, lack of social contact is to the brain what healthy food is to the body. Without it you become ill, mentally ill.
This is a mental health crisis, not a “behaviour & discipline” crisis.
Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the NEU, told Newsround that Mr Williamson should’ve talked about other things that help with behaviour, like smaller class sizes, more funding for pastoral support and releasing time for teachers to work with small groups and look at gaps in learning.
Dr Bousted said that teachers believe the links between “mental health [and a] very high pressure curriculum” are the biggest factors when it comes to behaviour, and that the government should address these issues first.
She added: “Curriculum expectations must be adapted to what’s happened this academic year”.
“With all the challenges currently facing schools … talking tough on behaviour is the least useful approach the Education Secretary can take.” – BBC[2]
Leave Those Kids Alone!
Right now children need to concentrate on building their social lives back up again. They need to laugh again, love again, cry again with friends. They need to get up to mischief again, they need to understand that being close to each other is not going to kill you, or your granny.
What has been done to children is unforgivable, they have been the silent victim in all this, with an advertised low risk of the so-called COVID-19, but often discussed as being deadly asymptomatic carriers that might kill their own grandparents or even parents – the pressure and fear has been unimaginable for many children.
Leave them alone, let them discover life again – who really cares if they screw up a little in class, who really cares if homework isn’t completed, you give them far too much anyway.
Leave them alone, leave those kids alone!
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