Here we are folks, up with the lark and fresh as a daisy after yesterday's celebrations to mark the 1000th article on Nanny Knows Best.Maybe we didn't party hard enough???
Anyhoo in honour of this, the 1001th article, I hereby give the prestigious "Prats of The Week" Award to...
A roll on the drums please...
The Professional Association of Teachers (PAT).
For why?
They have come up the ludicrous proposal to shut down websites such as YouTube and MySpace, because in their view they promote bullying.
It is for sure that in recent months, a number of teachers and children have been subject to bullying, and even death threats, online. However, some children are little shits and have always had a liking for bullying.
The use of the web is merely an adaptation of a centuries old nasty habit. It is down to parents and teachers to guide children through the moral maze of growing up, and instill in them basic values of decency and good manners.
Calling for the banning of websites is a cop out, as the use of websites is a symptom not a cause of ill discipline and shitty behaviour.
PAT claim that the only short-term solution to the problem is to close the popular sites down.
The proposal, which was put forward by Kirsti Paterson, was backed by hundreds of delegates attending the association's annual conference in Harrogate this week.
Ms Paterson, of PAT's Highland and Western Isles Federation said:
"Without the ban nowhere will be safe from cyberbullying."
Utter bollocks!
This shows how little the "teachers" understand how the real world works.
Aside from the points I have made above, I would like to acquaint PAT with another rather blindingly obvious point.
YouTube et al are legitimate commercial organisations based in the USA.
Precisely how do you go about (as member of PAT UK) enforcing an unenforceable banning order on a legitimate foreign commercial operation?
Were PAT ever likely to achieve this absurd dream, eg by the creation of British version of the Great Firewall of China (maybe that's what they really want...mass censorship?), other sites emulating YouTUbe would simply pop up...that's the way the internet works.
It is rather alarming that PAT wastes its time and resources on discussing fantasy issues, that cannot be addressed in this manner, that clearly shows it has no grasp on reality.
PAT, well deserving Prats of The Week.
The PAT have also called for WiFi networks in schools to be banned until they have been proven safe.
ReplyDeleteClearly the shortage of science teachers is worse then I thought. Had any been present they would have pointed out that you can never show anything is safe - all you can say is that noone has yet shown it to be dangerous. Which is exactly the case with wireless networks.
They also called for warning signs to be put up to alert people who are sensitive to electromagnetism. Surely if you are sensitive to EM, you would already know? Or perhaps the PAT are just tacitly acknowledging last week's study showing that this "sensitivity" is entirely psychosomatic?
Presumably they intend to deal with written abusive notes by banning pen and paper.
ReplyDeleteThere may be more to solent's idea than first seems likely.
ReplyDeleteWith the 'security' lobby proposing that the polis (Scottish form, goes with the strange spelling of 'Kirsti') should be able to not only feel the collar of miscreants or potential miscreants but also measure that collar, the inside leg measurement, footwear details, DNA sample and just about everything else - blood tests I suppose if they can find a way to do it without risk of infection - and then the travel information database update before you can travel abroad by any means at all (I wonder when you will need to register for every trip out of your abode?), the pen and paper method would lead to instant identification of said bullying miscreant using a DNA check.
What more could people want?
The odd thing about the moral aspect of this is that Government, at all level, can publicly promote bullying the population as 'policy' and get away with it.
I suspect Ms Paterson may get her wish indirectly.
Some of the things happening in the US at the moment seem to suggest the place could be heading into terminal meltdown. The US, one way or another, is the foundation structure of the internet.
If the US does implode in the next decade or so one could envisage that the internet may become somewhat more localised in its business model - a bit like the EU is seeking to do by getting into GPS systems.
With 'local' control and a fully cowed populace Ms. Paterson (Shouldn't Paterson have 2 T's?) might see her dream realised.
But then why not simply ensure that children are properly programmed in their jars before they are decanted? It would save a lot of problems.
Grant
They have already introduced bills in the US that would effectively "censor" the internet - just like in China. I'm surprised it's taken Britain's ban-this-ban-that briggade so long to speak up.
ReplyDeleteOf course, this is all in the good name of protecting kids. The thing is, the same can also be used to stiffle political dissent and free speech.
If only Britain, the US and other English speaking countries can go back to being "free" countries again. Naturally though, this will not happen because "we the people" are far more interested in Paris Hilton, Posh Spice and Britney Spears than what our own governments are doing behind our backs.
Yeah, there are bills in the US's Congress to ban, (or at the least restrict access), 'adult sites' (who wants to bet five dollars "Nanny Knows Best" and other anti-government sites are going to be banned as well?). But they're not likely to pass anytime soon, due to that pesky ol' First Amendment.
ReplyDeleteIf they do, like Grant said the US is going to implode and fall apart in the next 20 years anyway. Things aren't all that good over here in the states, despite what the media wants you to think...
If they abolished wheels villains wouldn't be able to get around except on their own two feet. Neither would anyone else.
ReplyDelete