Knives

[electricblue]

Not really sure where to put this but my sons form at school has cooking after the holidays,they have to take in the ingredients and a SHARP KNIFE which they have to carry with them all day until their lesson,a class of 14 year olds,17 boys and 8 girls carrying knives?I don't think so,with all the trouble on knives at the moment on the news!Anyway i rang the school and said i wouldn't send a knife in,i was told that if he didn't take one in,he wouldn't be allowed to cook,is it just me or is the school just being bl**dy ignorant?

[Dollie]

Can't believe the mentality of the school electricblue - I'm with you on this one. If it was me - I'd get together with a few other parents and collectively tell the school that they're potentially putting all the children at risk (It only takes one class idiot to mess around during break for someone to end up with a gash on the face or worse) and if they don't amend their policies and procedures then you'll all take it to the local newspaper and see what they make of it. don't let this drop please - as a favour to all kids and parents nationwide.

[malaise]

Wow, that sounds like completely irresponsible planning by the school! Surely if they can't provide knives, they shouldn't be providing cooking lessons?! And who will take the fall if / when some child gets hurt?!

I think you're doing the right thing, and if you know any other parents, I'd advise them to do the same.

[electricblue]

Thanx guys,its not the first run-in i've had with that school and its 'policies',can you imagine the news the next day when another 'statistic' is added to the rest??

[pega]

I would speak to your M. P or local councillor as the school must have governers and this doesn't sound right at all what is the meal being cooked ? if it needs something cutting up could it not be done beforehand or the teacher go around the class when this stage is needed, You could even write to Mr Blair and inform him of the situation pity you didn't write and get what was told over the phone in writing

[kazzianne]

that is absolutely unbelievable!!! I would do what pegga says and speak to your local MP and even your local police.Good grief - what is the world coming to!!

(P.S.i have been trying for days to find that sleep clinic as it has moved,but nobody knows where! But im still having a go for you)

[nickmo]

If it isn't going to stir things up between you and the school any further - advise your community police officer to go and speak to the head at the school as this may be promoting some sort of 'incitement' as an extreme view.

You can also tell the head that as they are the least responsible school in the country expect to feature on the BBC and ITV news as a headline story. Just the sort of publicity that the no-knife campaign wants.

Your local education authority should also be advised that the school has a policy that is equivalent to dereliction of care and needs to be rectified. This sort of crass behaviour is really annoying

[jenky]

Please do continue with your protest. My partner is a teacher and would be livid to think that every child in the room had a knife in their bag.
See if the other teachers are happy that all day they have to teach a class of kids armed to the teeth...
Shouldn't the school take the knives off them in the morning perhaps?

[electricblue]

I'm not worried about stirring things up between me and the school nickmo,they've had me up there several times before now with their daft 'policies',this is just the latest and most ignorant,i sometimes wonder what is running that school,cos it sure as hell cant be from this planet,by the time school starts again they're gonna wish they'd never met me,thats a promise,thanx for your backing and today the kids are at home,lets wait for a call off county council about that?????

[kazzianne]

You should take a copy of the list of engridients mentioning the knife to your local police station!

[gessoo]

Have put my thoughts on your other thread in 'News' about this, electricblue. It would seem you have a lot of support here.

[raysparx]

Hi electric, you are 100% right in your thinking,can't you have a word with a few of the other parents,if you can't get any sense,why not contact the local paper and get them to sort it,I am sure the police would condemn the school for this, how bloody stupid are these people?

Take care,Ray xx

[SaxyJag]

I'm with everyone here - the school is being totally stupid, especially in the current climate (another one stabbed today, I believe).
Complain - to the governors, the education authority, the police - anyone who will listen. As Dollie suggest, phone the local press and media - journos love stories like this, and it's amazing what they can get done with a few phone calls. We did it once over an aspect of police vs council policy and got action on a community issue within a few hours.

[SaxyJag]

Actually, I don't suppose you're in the Leicester area by any chance, are you? Only I know a few people in the right press/BBC places.

[electricblue]

Nope,norfolk!!

[SaxyJag]

Pity.

Still, do you have this request for a knife in the form of a letter from the school or anything? If you do (or even if you don't), call your local paper and ask for the newsdesk, and tell them your story (my husband points out here that you could actually bypass the local and see if any of the tabloids are interested). At the same time, give Radio Norfolk a call and tell them.

They may do nothing, they may do a piece on it, or they may just send a reporter and/or a camera down to the school to interview the head. That'll put the frighteners on if nothing else.

Please, please, please let us know how this ends up. When I told my husband about this last night, he was appalled and said you should go straight to the police about it - everyone in the restaurant looked at us! But he's right. The school are condoning something that the police are actively trying to fight. They've held a knives amnesty this week. Pretty ironic if the very people who should be helping them (ie teachers) are the ones thwarting them.

[electricblue]

Thanx saxyjag,without mentioning names the school was in the papers not too long ago about a certain member of staff and a certain 'register',,,

[dilf]

ive never read such a load of old twaddle, no the wonder our kids are soft in the head when the schools they go to have to put up with this nonsense. listen to yourselves .its a knife for goodness sake not a uzi and i should think every kid has been taught the do's and dont's of handling sharp knives by their parents especially 14 yr olds.
local authorities, police, MPs, tony blair and even trigger happy george bush will rightfully tell you all to get forked cos the boy scouts have been peeling potatos for a hundred years. its time to wean junior off bitty and trust them with a knife.the worst that will happen is they will cut their finger believe you me

as an alternative maybe you could practice at home starting with a spoon and progressing to a knife over the next 3 or 4 years,then by the time he's allowed to vote he should be able to feed himself.

knives are not weapons they are kitchen utensils.

im shaking my head at you all

[dml54]

Is it not illegal to carry any sort of knife on school premises? I can't believe the last poster. Yes, we all know (or should) how to use a knife safely. That is not the issue here. The issue is teenagers carrying knives around with them all day, in school, until their lesson. As a former school employee and a school governor, I am appalled. My advice is, if you don't get any joy from the headteacher, then contact the Chair of the Governing body and send a copy of your letter to the Local Education Authority.

[kipchik]

What a stupid answer Dilf,,tell you what why don't you go back over the news the last couple of weeks then go tell the parents of the stabbed boys the same thing,,,,,then be prepared for one hell of a smack in the face,,,,,and an applauding audience,,,wierdo!

[dilf]

no way will i have this nonsense, tragedy though it is the children you are talking about were not killed by any of the schools policys regarding cookery lessons and they were just a couple of kids killed by bullies who would have used another weapon if they could not have got their hands on a knife. its a cookery lesson which is not a dangerous thing. but i just take it as read that they will not bump into a disfunctional psycho thats the chance we all take
normal average run of the mill kids can be trusted with sharp knives,screwdrivers,pencils,compasses etc and would not dream of murdering their peers that is the kids im talking about.if your child bumps into a monster i cant say what they would be attacked with
cheap shot kipchick cheap shot to use a million to one chance tragedy to undermine my point. more children are killed as a result of their parents double parking outside the school gates

im still shaking my head at this hysterical nonsense