When Does Education Become Indoctrination?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2830816/Police-called-teacher-gave-books-tackling-homophobia.html

Surely it is the parents responsibility to teach their children not to bully anyone not just homosexuals, and it is the schools job to teach children as young as this to read and write etc?

[ummmm]

In theory it is the parents responsibility but don't under estimate the power of peer pressure.

[ummmm]

Especially considering the amount of time they spend at school.

Many children are in breakfast clubs and after school clubs because their parents are working.

[Kromovaracun]

Unfortunately, parents often fail in this responsibility. And even when they don't, kids behave very differently at school than they do at home - especially if they think teachers won't do anything about it.

There is no charter anywhere that clearly delineates the role of parents and schools. It is a pointless cycle for one to keep passing the buck onto the other. It's in the interest of everyone in society for every child to enter young adulthood with the basic skills they need to function in society. Parents and schools are both responsible for ensuring that happens.

(This is one of the many reasons that religious schools are such a travesty - they represent a complete abandonment of this responsibility on the part of both).

[Kromovaracun]

"Police were called after the protest, which had been orchestrated by religious campaigners, became heated."

Oh, what a *** surprise. I might have guessed.

[mushroom25]

this is a frequent focus for frank exchanges of views in this area.

on the one hand the schools are bound by law to have processes for ensuring diversity and dealing with discrimination, and get severe criticism from OFSTED if there are deficiencies; on the other, a lot of parents (and some of the governors) associated with said schools hail from religious backgrounds where some of the school's processes involve aspects that are considered distasteful.

they're damned if they don't or if they do.

[jackthehat]

Religious groups and schools complaining about indoctrination?

How amusing.....

[Gromit]

Teachers need order in school to ge able to teach children to read and write.

If bullying is taking place, the children must be taught how to behave first, so that orderly lessons can follow.

Teaching children to behave properly is never indoctrination. Parents should bring up their children to behave correctly, but sadly many do not.

[Old_Geezer]

Presumably the change from education to indoctrination occurs when the 'student' is not allowed to question what is being fed to them ?

[RandyMarsh]

I would guess that indoctrination involves a bit more than the giving of a book AOG. It is only a guess.

[mushroom25]

//Parents should bring up their children to behave correctly...//

yes but by whose rules is "correct behavior" judged? those who protested at the school gates believe they are doing the right thing for their children.

[sp1814]

If parents are upset that schools are tackling homophobia, perhaps they should remove their children and place them in a school where hatred of gays is tacitly encouraged.

Perhaps a quick search of local Islamic and Roman Catholic academies is in order here?

[ummmm]

sp...I went to Roman Catholic schools, we were never taught hatred of anyone.

[ummmm]

I don't even remember being told that being gay is wrong, by anyone.

[anotheoldgit]

Would it be discourteous or at the worse homophobic to point out the headmaster's pink tie?

[ummmm]

What is the relevance?

[youngmafbog]

I may have missed something but I cannot see bullying. What is quoted is this:
//inspectors reported some children saying they believed it was wrong to be gay//

Isn't that their right to have that belief just as much? So long as they dont bully or exclude anyone because of it why cannot they believe something due to their faith or whatever?

Or do we live in a Police state now? (It would certainly appear so since Plod were fetched)

[mushroom25]

YMB, plod was fetched by the forum organisers because the robust manner of the protest led them to believe the teacher was at risk of harm.

are you saying they should have backed off and let him get the kicking the parents believed he deserved?

[youngmafbog]

The other side seems to have a different opinion

'They said nothing that happened at the meeting warranted any police involvement,’

Sounds like heavy handedness from the staff becuase some people dared to express an opinion that did nto agree with theirs.