YOU REALLY COULDN'T.
For reasons I am unable to go into, I can not say what might or might not have happened to my child in the past.
Today he came back from school with dirt all over his clothes and very visibly shaken up. I asked him what had happened. He "reluctuntly" told me he was set upon by FIVE pupils and kicked by them while he was on the ground (where a couple of them had struck him to.)
Naturally I was absolutely horrified, even more so when he told me two of the names of his attackers, which are names that have, shall we say, cropped up more than once.
I telephoned the school and asked to speak to the headteacher, approx 30 mins later I got a call from who I believe to be the deputy head. I think it would be unfair to name him as I will be publishing my recollection of our telephone call and it won't make him look too good and I'm sure he has family that wouldn't appreciate it being published all over the internet that he is paid from the neck down by the education department, who in my opinion are seriously neglecting our children.
This particular teacher explained to me that an "incident" had occured , the "incident" had been "investigated" and as a result of the "investigation" two pupils had been SUSPENDED, yes you read that correctly SUSPENDED.
So I said to the teacher "let me get this right. FIVE pupils commit, what I believe to be,a grave and criminal assault on my child and you give two of them a few days off"? "So tomorrow they can get one of their older mates to get them a few cans of beer and go and hang out together?
To which he replied "suspending a child is the strongest sanction in our remit". "There is no "tuffer" sanction"
If I was one of these kids (as I told the teacher) While swigging my can of beer I would think GREAT! the worst they can do is suspend us. When we get back to school we'll give him another hiding and see if we can't get a couple of weeks off.
I asked the teacher if he would tell me the names of the two pupils that had been suspended. He said "NO" it is not "policy" to discuss other pupils with other parents. So I said "let me get this right. These pupils can give my son a hiding and me, as a parent, am not allowed to know who they are? To which he replied "That is our policy" but wouldn't tell me if it was schools or education departments.
I asked him what kind of a message does he think he is sending out to anybody thinking about committing an assault or anybody who wants a few days off? to which he replied "we have to follow education department guidelines" I said "even if they are seriously neglecting the children? He said "that is not for me to comment on, I signed a contract to abide by the education departments policies".....So fukc the kids as long as I get my pay cheque? (he didn't say that!)
So it transpires if I want any stronger sanction than giving these kids a few days off I have to contact the police, which I have now done. In order to find out the names of the children that assaulted my child, the said teacher advised me to contact MARIO LUNDY. I have had dealings with Mario Lundy and one thing has come to light. That is one of us is a LIAR.
I would like to make it clear I do not believe punishing these kids is the best solution. I believe trying to understand them, work with them, give them incentives, give them time. Unfortunately that is not (in my experience) how our education department works. And is the only option open to me to try and prevent this, or worse happening YET AGAIN to my child.
The only reason I would want Senator Mike (GST28) Vibert re-elected is that he can still be "on watch" when everything he is responsible for as the Education minister comes to light. If I were him I certainly wouldn't stand again and get out whilst the goings good.
Stuart. Sorry for nicking your slogan but it is just so apt when it comes to describing anything to do with our "ruling elite"
I have e-mailed Senator Mike (GST28) Vibert with these concerns as I don't have, and couldn't find MARIO LUNDY'S e-mail address. I shall keep that and any reply I MIGHT get for another post.