I really do think that there is something seriously awry with the "British sense of perspective".In the past people would accept that in life "shit happens", and that when something went wrong (whether or not it was yours or another's fault) you picked yourself up and got on with your life without whinging like a spoilt child.
How time changes!
We are now so afraid of the "retribution" from the potentially "injured", that we seek to eliminate any possibility of risk from our lives and the lives of third parties.
In 2002 Peter Casson suffered facial injuries after he was hit by a door, which was caught by a gust of wind at St James Primary School Millom.
Not pleasant, I agree, but these things happen.
Casson was then awarded £22K.
This award has now sent a shock wave of fear through Nanny's chums at the school, they have issued an edict banning parents from going into the school building.
The edict, sent to parents, says that parents of children in junior classes must stay outside the gates when collecting children.
The headteacher, Maureen Hughes, wrote:
"We must respectfully request that in future parents of children in junior classes remain outside the junior gates when collecting children from school.
There will be alterations to the grounds taking place in the near future which will restrict access to the junior classrooms from the playground.
We acknowledge the need for parents of infant children to take their child to and from the classroom doors and this will still be acceptable.
We must stress that children must be left or collected at the door
and parents will not be permitted to enter the school building."
Parents and visitors now have to contact the school office, going in through the main entrance, if they want to speak to a member of staff.
What kind of message does this convey to the children I wonder?
Does this mean you are finally realising that the nanny state is not so much due to the current crop of politicians but due to a natural, economic reaction to people like Mr Casson.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately schools/companies/councils can't afford to keep shelling out a few grand to these idiots so have to enforce nanny-like rules to make up for their lack of personal responsibility.
Perhaps you should highlight people like Mr Casson a bit more and remind everyone that these people are responsible for Nanny's ever increasing controls.
Hi Anon, yes money grabbing imbeciles often trigger Nannys actions. But in many cases, and I think this is one, Nanny and friends manage to compound their effect.
ReplyDeleteTake this case, if the school had a simple disclaimer that parents were required to sign, job done. The disclaimer could read something like "I agree not to act like a prat, and if an accident befalls me on school premises..."
finally there is an entire chain of responsibility leading to these ever sillier restrictions, from avaricious lawyers, via the moron claiment, through the electorate, to politicians whose only skill is smiling and not saying the wrong thing.
Right now I'm to watch Ken whack Nanny and let somebody else have a go at the other morons.
Just to clarify, while many accidental injury claiments may be morons I didn't mean to imply that this was the case with Mr Casson.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he didn't want to take £20K out of the education budget.
And anyway he must be due the money because a Judge said so
Sadly too many cronies of Nanny and Mrs Nanny are lawyers who stand to make a lot of money from cases like this.
ReplyDeleteThis can all be traced back to the two worst things which have ever happened in this country:
ReplyDelete1) Contingency-fee ambulance-chasing lawyers,
2) Esther Rantzen