The Herald likes to think of itself as ‘serious’ and informative. Here it is in the gutter, with its eyes still fixed in that gutter, not reporting reality for the benefit of its readers but constructing a dark alternative reality within which the vulnerable may be damaged.
What evidence do they have?
ONE whistleblower, unnamed, but in Glasgow’s east end.
With the smallest respect, is that a representative sample?
I think not.
There are around 50 000 teachers in 5 000 schools in Scotland and they have one whistleblower?
This is a classic moral panic where reports of actual deviance are amplified by media coverage and moral entrepreneurs such as in this case, teacher leaders, politicians or journalists, see an opportunity for career advancement on the back of an imagined surge in the deviance.
We’ve seen this phenomenon, the media amplification of deviance, so many times in the past from the supposed risk of newspaper crosswords to productivity in offices, through Mod and Punk posing a threat to civilisation and Heavy Metal promoting Satanism and gays being unfit parents, to trans women raping other prisoners.
In every case, the media have made profits, some cynical psychopathic individuals have made careers and many minor deviants have fell the force of the law beyond justice and, in every case, the panic has passed into insignificance.
What evidence do they need?
Statistics, lots of them and going back over decades, because it might just turn out that school violence has been falling, with little spikes now and then, to a level well below that which many of us well remember through the 50s to the 80s.
Dear reader: Can you find any such evidence published, of course, somewhere respectable?
Talking-up Scotland 
DRossie is pro, or agin, or is it for and against?
“Mary” Gulhane will be along just shortly from his flat in Pacific Quay.
Anas says–git yer weans intae the private system”—“I did, and a cane is better than the belt, every day of the week”!
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The Herald’s latest attempt to be ”The Daily Wail ” of Scotland !
Verdict : Must try harder !
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The Herald’s latest attempt to be ”The Daily Wail” of Scotland .
Verdict : Must try harder !
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Haven’t bought a “Scottish Newspaper” since September, 19th, 2014. Never will.
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Same here. I used to buy the Scotsman and an ‘English’ paper every day. I packed that in 12 or 13 years ago. I still keep an online sub to the Times. God knows why. I’m thinking of switching to the FT. That and Private Eye are the only reasonable news sources in the UK.
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Extrapolating from a small number of instances seems to be the MO of the Herald . The Hootsman is no better , it’s reputation for relying on press handouts to bulk up its content is well deserved.
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I’ve only read the front page of The Herald – magnifying the picture above to read the article. I have no wish to give The Herald the benefit of my custom even tho’ a decade ago it was my newspaper of choice.
It’s an appalling piece of journalism: it is rightly being called out in the blog post as a classic example of seeking to stoke moral panic. Yet another example: a pattern emerging in Scotland?
(Arguably, what is being reflected in The Herald is a socially conservative push-back against fairly long standing practices and widespread support for the use of restorative justice principles and methods. Presumably, social conservatives still favour retribution/punishment as their preferred solution in such dealings with children and young people.)
The Herald piece makes mention of a teacher strike in 2022 by NASUWT members at Bannerman High School, Glasgow and refer to an article on the matter in the Glasgow Times:
Headline: ‘Teachers continue with strike at Bannerman High School in Glasgow – Teachers at a Glasgow school are continuing with strike action in a dispute over dealing with alleged safety risks in the classroom.’ (29th November 2022).
As The Herald, based on very scant ‘evidence’, is clearly intent on implying a major national problem in Scotland’s schools, it’s worth sharing what this Glasgow Times article actually stated at the time (with my emphasis):
‘The dispute focuses on BANNERMAN HIGH SCHOOL’S LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION RESOURCE, WHICH CATERS FOR PUPILS WITH AUTISM.’
From the school’s website today: ‘Language and Communication Resource – The Language and Communication Resource Bannerman Autism Unit caters for pupils whose difficulties lie on the Autism Spectrum. All pupils have a diagnosis of Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. The Unit has been an integral part of Bannerman High Since August 2000.
‘At present the Unit has places for up to 12 pupils. Pupils have access to mainstream classes according to their individual needs and staff from the Unit support pupils in classes, if required.
‘Within the Unit, lessons to develop social skills and social understanding are an important part of most pupils’ timetables. The Unit also provides pupils with practice in language and communication skills and Lifeskills, as well as providing opportunities for consolidation of classwork.’
Returning to the Glasgow Times article from last November, we learn this from Glasgow City Council’s response:
‘A council spokesperson said: “The safety of our staff is taken very seriously and additional measures have been in place at the school to meet the needs of the teachers and support staff in the ASL base and the refusal to teach by some members can only be seen as victimisation of young people with significant needs.
“The position that has been outlined yet again by the NASUWT is an INACCURATE REFLECTION OF THE EXTENSIVE, ONGOING SUPPORT BY THE COUNCIL AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT AT THE SCHOOL AND IT IS DEEPLY UPSETTING THAT THE SCHOOL CONTINUES TO BE DRAGGED THROUGH THE MEDIA TO CREATE SENSATIONAL HEADLINES.
“THE SCHOOL HAS A RATIO OF ONE TEACHER TO EVERY THREE PUPILS IN THE BASE AS WELL AS PUPIL SUPPORT WORKERS WITH INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PLANS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.’
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Excellent
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I taught for 37 years. I noticed no rise in in school violence. A certain number of psycho kids were always there. Some of the pupils I came across in teacher training or in my first permanent school would turn the whistleblower’s hair white. One of my first4XL pupils was a diagnosed psychopath. He later on was done for attempted murder.He wasn’t the worst.
Years ago there was an ITV drama series made about a rough comprehensive school. The scene it painted was so bleak public outcry forced the series to be’pulled’ after 1 or 2 episodes. My colleagues and I thought it the most accurate schools drama we had scene.
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‘Toxic positivity’. What on Earth is that. It does not even make sense. Inclusive learning is positivity. People on the spectrum need to learn like everyone else. They can be geniuses. Every invention in the world has been made by people on the spectrum. They think outside the box not to the norm. They need consideration and understanding or they can get overwhelmed and upset. They need positivity and work break or simple measures put in. A cushion or certain chairs. Or a quiet space to recuperate from noise or stress. Legally they are entitled to diversity and understanding. Inclusion brings challenges to overcome and manage by soecialist training. Every school staff needs. To mange and nurture people with additional needs achieve a better education. Diagnose improving all the time. For pupils and adults to reach their potential and manage stressful and anxious situations. An increasing number of people with increased diagnosis.
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‘Psycho kids’ or psycho teachers. There a a few of them. Not somprevalent now. More enlightened training. There would be less psycho murderers if people got the support and understanding they need. Instead of being condemned or misunderstood. Increasing investigations of the mind. Medical science and psychology advances. Better diagnosis.
The pycho bastards of a public funded Oxbridge education killing people by their millions, Oxbridge funded 20 to 1 of all other universities.
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