The further criminalisation of parents

There is something very wrong when a government – one that used to stand up for the poor – are so willing to send those poor to prison. They sent a few to prison because parents couldn’t get their children to stay in school.

Now they propose to do the same again, after fining them, and, if the parents cannot pay the fine – they will incarcerate them.

If anyone, anyone at all had a view that New Labour were a socialist government, then this alone should prove their argument wrong.

This action – to get children to behave will be instigated by teachers – is that what teachers are supposed to do?

Have this government – one of the most authoritarian in British history now made teachers not just educators, but classroom police?

This will, of course, backfire – there is nothing as sure as that. Because, and I am sure you can imagine the scenario, a teacher – probably a bad and manipulative one, will abuse a child and to keep the child quiet will threaten them with this very action if the child should speak up. It will happen – but, like so much of the criminalisation not just of parents but of the whole of the British population – this legislation id a knee-jerk reaction to tabloid newspapers rather than thought out policy – add to that there will be those who will hurrah this action.

Personally I just think it is sick!