In an astonishing, even for them, foray into political campaigning, an unattributed BBC Scotland report today, joins Jackson Carlaw and Jack McConnell in a drive to undermine the elected government’s strategy, developed with the teaching unions and local government and approved of by the wider public in repeated polls.
Using evidence from 5, only, parents selected to agree with the frankly sociopathic sentiments in their headline, BBC Scotland goes well beyond it’s remit to educate, entertain and inform to direct and irresponsible intervention in political processes.
Here is their methodology section: ‘These parents have told the BBC’
Given the failure to explain their sampling technique, we are left to wonder just why these five?
As it turns out:
One of the five is a former BBC staffer and the other four seem likely to just be known to them.
“We want them to go back full time and we are willing to take the risks that come with that”
Those are the words of one of BBC Scotland’s 5 ‘witnesses’, ‘hugely successful’ former BBC staffer and now the wife of a Jura land-owner, Claire Fletcher. In November 2019, in the P&J she offers these immodest thoughts:
What if you could leave this frantic pace behind and settle down in a close-knit community, where strong bonds run through generations of families? Claire Fletcher did exactly that when she abandoned a hugely successful career in Glasgow for life in one of the wildest places in Scotland. But visiting and living here all year round, well, the reality is very different. I had a pretty intense career with the BBC, I was head of live music for Radio 1.
‘Hugely successful?’ Who uses that kind of language about themselves?
Whose lives is she offering to risk here? The islanders? All of them? Just the now useless elderly?
A second member of the 5 is Anne Lockhart of East Lothian. Is she, perhaps, the BBC River City actor of the same name based in North Berwick or the mum of reporter David Lockhart?
Once more, BBC Scotland selects a handful of ‘members of the public’ to make a case for an argument only really held strongly by opportunistic opposition politicians eager for a scalp regardless of the costs for the rest of us.
Update:
Grating minds think alike?
By stewartb
This could be a day to remember. Could BBC Scotland now finally, openly be operating as a campaigning organisation?
Regardless of one’s view on the tough choices surrounding the re-opening of Scotland’s schools in August, the editorial decisions taken when publishing an article today, 21 June on the ‘Scotland’ page of the BBC News website are, frankly, quite remarkable.
The BBC aggregates and amplifies the personal views of five parents, all holding one position – a return to full-time, normal schooling in August. There is no parent or carer expressing a counter or even an equivocal view.
However, I can’t resist sharing one startling quote from the article:
“We want them to go back full time and we are willing to take the risks that come with that”
So says, notably, a parent who lives and whose children are schooled in small island communities off Scotland’s west coast ( – and not Skye!).
Talking-up Scotland / Scottish media fact checking is like shooting fish in a barrel 
The bbc doesn’t give a monkeys about balanced reporting anymore. It’s an expensive [if you pay the bbc tax] red-top rag.
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In this fine example of 1 st class journalism ( satire)
It obviosiously takes one tae ken one
Either the ABC (BBC) is either skint or desperate
Hopefully both
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It’s TEACHERS who will be in the forefront when it comes to risk.
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General Hague “might” have said–“I am willing to take the risk of attacking directly into the guns of No Mans Land”.
I’m quite sure he never said such a thing, but BBC Hootsman would have put these words into his mouth—if the “No Mans Land” was held by Scottish independence supporters!
Wonder if Donalda dreams of a Damehood?—sitting next to Ffoulksie, Big Bella and Ruthie.
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All the rest of the Brit Nat failures, dopes and flip-flops end up there.
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“Many have expressed fears that extended part-time learning will cause more harm than the virus itself.”
The virus kills children. Extended part time learning kills children? What school did the author go to? Wait a minute, no one is brave enough to put a name to this dross.
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The dullards who are making the complaints and the anonymous author of this crap aren’t smart enough to do even basic research. Even stuff that is on the BBC’s own website and has been there for a fortnight. What stupidity and crass arrogance from all these idiots. I bet none has read this report of research by a BBC Health journalist that looks at the English situation. One assumes they trust the competence of the Scottish government to avoid a second wave. Or is that a risk they are willing to take?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52933323
“Sending all children back to school – and freeing parents to go back to work – could trigger a second wave of coronavirus, warn researchers.
UCL and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine team said testing and tracing contacts of those with the virus might help prevent this.
But the current test and trace system would need to be more effective.
The study is the first to assess the extent of contact tracing that will be needed to prevent a second wave.
It used computer models to see how the virus might spread as pupils returned to the classroom and their parents were freed from childcare and able return to work or other activities.
The academics investigated the impact of the “phased return” strategy in England.
They analysed what happens when Reception, Year 1 and Year Six go back at the start of June; followed by all primary school pupils in July; secondary pupils in Year 10 and 12 having some contact in July and all secondary schools going back in September.
The study showed the combined effect on pupils and parents would be enough to cause a second wave without an effective test and trace programme.
This would happen around December 2020 and would be twice as big as the first peak, unless the government took other actions such as re-imposing lockdown.”
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This is McConnell.
“It is likely things will be more relaxed in August. There needs to be a Plan A – full-time back in school or associated buildings. Plan B is part-time learning if there is an outbreak. Or for use in isolated areas where there is an outbreak. But it has got to be plan A.”
So that’s OK. The virus just goes away?
“Dr Joshua Moon, a research fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), said: “I would be fairly confident the opening of schools has increased transmission within schools, but that is also what you would expect – the question is whether or not you can jump on that and get it under control.”
Between April 20 and May 24, the number of suspected outbreaks in schools did not rise above four, however it has shot up to 15, 14 and 24 in the past three weeks respectively. …”
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/suspected-covid-19-outbreaks-in-schools-rise-by-70/
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“There are bigger issues now than the virus for children, including their mental health.”
Numpty
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Claire Fletcher, Argyll and Bute
“My girls have missed one set of exams, we can’t afford to let it happen again. We want them to get back and we are willing to take the risks that come with it.”
Including the possibility that you may be willing to cause the deaths of people outside your family?
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That is the UnionBBC idea of democracy for you.
Might is right.
https://wingsoverscotland.com/down-with-democracy/
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Might is NOT right and when your foe starts to get cocky with their Might
Then the weaker but right opponent
Is well on the the way to lay them low
Know Thy Foe
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premieroneuk
Yes, obviously. I was quoting the fascist belief.
I first read about the theme in The Once and Future King by T.H. White
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They can easily catch up with exams, its just a memory test and in fact the longer they leave it they have more time to study and also more developed brains er, means a higher pass, unless your parents are stupid, which it seems might be the case here.
Also, weirdly, exams can be taken outwith the school setting, that’s what home educated kids do if they choose to take exams!! It’s not rocket science! (btw my home ed son had to explain quite a bit of simple science and maths, to his very nice pal, who was educated at a fancy private school (charity) in Edinburgh!
I personally find it utterly sickening to hear that these people are willing and happy to actually in reality today, in 2020, risk lives like this. It’s really really sinister.
Which schools do their kids attend?
Be interesting to know…
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Anyone noticed that better together 2 is well underway?
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“The [UK] Government’s decision on whether to reopen schools is a finely balanced and unenviable one. Our passion and the focus of my committee is the eradication of health inequality. As the ONS has found, this virus disproportionately affects those from the most deprived background as well as some BAME communities. We must safeguard against any measures that risks exacerbating those inequalities. A second peak would impact the disadvantaged the most and could lead to schools being closed for a far longer period.
We will continue to review the data and offer our full-hearted, academic support to families, school staff and the government as they work together to allow schools to reopen safely. This is a common endeavour.””
https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/covid-19-statement-on-schools-reopening
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We have a profound duty to close the attainment gap with due haste
Why because these children are fundamental to the responsible caring outward looking fair and equitable new nation which soon will be independent
And have the basic human raw material
In order to achieve such and help sweep us away from the old rotten not fit for purpose system that we are yoked to
That ensures the corrupt elite and powerful carry down the road to oblivion
Is brought to a fair but abrupt end
And these children will ensure that as we go forward that those of the old ways shall never ever again be able to regain even the smallest of toe hold
Once out of the gutter you never look back
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“Including the possibility that you may be willing to cause the deaths of people outside your family?”
On reflection that is too harsh a thing to say about something that is ill considered. I withdraw it with an apology.
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You sure of that? They have basically said they are willing to take the risk! The ‘risk’ is to send the kids to school, ‘full time’, and for kids and staff to potentially spread Covid19 then take inpt back into the community, the consequences of which would be utterly catastrophic! Why the hell are you apologising for stating your concerns about people who are literally willing to make decisions even if it risks death to those they are talking about, in this context?
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David Lockhart is from Linlithgow and his mum is called Liz so its not her.
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An extraordinary piece by any BBC Scotland standard, which in the public eye is already at an all time low for trust…
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Are the bbc pulling this stunt in Wales and NI. Westminster/ Johnson would appear to need the SG to follow Westminsters plan for returning to school. They are trying desperately to provide some cover for themselves, using Scotland as a distraction, just as they did with the Care homes.
Carlaw fronted that particular campaign both to get the SG to remove elderly patients from hospital to care homes and attacking the SG for doing just that.
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Thing is of course, Scotland’s state schools do not have same hols as England, tho the charity private ones do follow Eng hols. So, English schools would be returning in September, about a month later than in Scotland. Also, many (tons more than usual eek!) tourists from England will be flooding into Scotland in August, during THEIR school summer break, just when schools in Scotland would be returning!
That sounds like a recipe for disaster, not to put too fine a point on it.
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There are hundreds of English schools and councils refusing to follow the UK gov policy and timetable, some citing the plan being progressed by the SG. This is really causing Johnson and co problems.
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As a mother of 11 I’d rather not play with the health of my children’s lives or anyone they come into contact with . Children are dying of covid19 related … My children have been very happy to do all school work online and for one with ASD he has improved.so much with one on one . These people cannot decide for everyone and I know many parents who are not ready to send children BK to school . My children are desperate to get back to school but understand why they can’t . It’s not down to the 5 to decide when they can return . Aug is a good time to return and hopefully by then out schools will have made everything safe for them to return .
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