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January 11, 2006
What the f**k
What the f**k is going on at the DfES? At a time when Tony Blair is pushing his Respect campaign we're faced with a chronic lack of respect for the natural concerns of parent from Ruth Ke;y and the DfES.
Now I'm going to make my position quite clear on the issue of the DfES approving people on the Sex Offenders Register to work in schools. I'm Vice Chair of the Board of Governors at a local C of E Primary School, and we are repeatedly made aware of our duty of care by the LEA, the DfES and - in my case - by the Diocese. And justifiably so. Parents trust schools to not only provide a decent education for their children, but also to offer education in a safe and secure environment.
Which makes it all the more annoying and frustrating when the DfES gives approval for potential (and I use the word advisedly) sex offenders to work in schools. It is all the more galling when Ruth Kelly then admits that the department doesn't know how many such people it has given approval to.
Now when I've calmed down a bit I'll give Ruth Kelly the kicking she so richly deserves, but for now I'm just too bl**dy angry.
Sir Michael Bichard, who headed the Soham inquiry sums things up:
Sir Michael Bichard, meanwhile, said he was "disappointed" the vetting recommendations of his inquiry into the Soham murders had not been acted on.
Ian Huntley was able to get a job as a caretaker at a college on the same grounds as his victims' primary school despite a string of sex allegations against him.
"I was suggesting one barring or registration scheme," Sir Michael told BBC2's Newsnight programme.
"The problem is, as I understand it, that it's not been possible to find a slot in the legislative timetable for the necessary bill."
How on earth can this government not find a slot in the legislative timetable? We're talking about the same government that used the Parliament Act to force through legislation banning hunting with dogs, yet can't find the time to advance legislation protecting our children. Obviousy foxes rank higher on the scale on national importance than children!
Now, I know I'm coming over all Daily Mail with a rant such as this, but if such a person is working in my school, they my balls (along with the rest of the Board of Governors) are on the line. I'm the person angry parents will be having a go at; I'm the person who will have to try and explain just what the f**k is going on.
There is however, a solution which would reassure parents and at the same time inflict intense pressure on the DfES. Every school in the country should write to the DfES requesting formal confirmation than none of the staff working in the school are on the sex offenders register. Now there are somewhere in the region of 3,500 Secondary Schools and approximately18,500 Primary Schools in the UK, those numbers not including public schools and other related institutions. So, with a bit of co-ordination it should be possible to hit the DfES with more than 20,000 requests, covering (at a very rough estimate) 40 staff per school on average. So that'd require the DfES to check up around 800,000 names to see if any were subject to such approval.
Puts it into perspective a bit, doesn't it?
And our imperious leader's response:
Parents' groups have demanded an apology but Downing Street dismissed reports the minister's job was at risk.
A spokesman for Tony Blair said the PM had full confidence in Ms Kelly.
That'd be the same level of confidence that he had in Mandelsson, Byers, Blunkett et al. There again, we're talking about a Labour Government that has, in spite of Blair's 1997 mantra of Education, education, education, published 12 Education White Papers since 1997! Yet is spending less on education as a percentage of GDP than was being spent in 1970. So maybe we're just expecting too much of this government to respect parents, teachers and those of us who give our time voluntarily to help educate our children.
And, as an aside and knowing no intimate details of the case in question, I think it would be safe to say that we're not talking about people who accidentally stumbled upon paedophilic images. Something must have drawn attention to these people. And I want to make it clear that I'm not after a witch hunt for the people approved. It is the DfES and the Secretary of State for Education (and her predecessors) who have created this situation. They are the one upon whom we should focus our opprobrium.
Posted by Clive on January 11, 2006 11:08 PM in the category Education
Comments
This shows the real state and performance of our representatives... useless!
Posted by: jamal at January 15, 2006 9:26 PM