Why we should all vote for Jeremy Corybn

I feel like i have to chose whos gonna #me the least there both #s

a reply to: Denoli

Yup. I feel the same.

For me it isn't about who's best -- it's about who;s the least sh*t. Terrible when that's the choice...

For a site that proclaims to deny ignorance why is nearly everybody focusing on what the MSM wants us to focus on? All the arguments here are just going back and forwards on terror/ brexit/ immigration/ etc. This is exactly what the media want us to do - to deflect from looking at real policy and what it means for the country.

As a school teacher and parent of two teenagers I have an extremely strong Interest and opinion on educational policy. I have watched my profession being torn apart over the last 8 years with 'accountability', performance related pay, initiative after initiative being pushed by people with no background in education, Ebacc, school funding cuts etc etc. This will be a long post, but I hope you take the time to read and understand why the torrie policies are destroying the future of the younger generation. I don't think they are doing it on purpose - I just think their arrogance means that they believe they know better and won't listen to us in the system (it was after all Micheal Gove, the man behind many of the appalling decisions made, that declared during Brexit campaigning that 'people are tired of listening to experts' to justify a point). First I will break down the conservative position on education if (and when) they will win this election.


Here are the key new conservative pledges with my thought as a teacher with 18 years experience in this education system.

1. To help new teachers: "forgiveness on student loan repayments while they are teaching" and dedicated support throughout their careers.

Brilliant - so the profession will be flooded with recent graduates who have no clue what to do with their lives but see teaching as an option to get a job without paying back their student loans. Said teachers will then be miserable in a job that they didn't want to do in the first place, and trapped like a hostage because they are under the threat that the loans will need to be repaid if they want to leave. That will drive up morale and standards I'm sure.

2. A review of school admissions policy, with compulsory lotteries ruled out. "We will be clear at the outset that we will never introduce a mandatory lottery-based school admissions policy."

Not too many thoughts on this one as it is so vague - though I know if my students had to evaluate and review something, but ruled a possible conclusion out before they began they would lose marks.

3.To "improve schools’ accountability at key stage 3."

This, for me, is the most dangerous and worrying statement. More accountability has become a catch all phrase for saying 'we do not trust that teachers are doing their jobs'. This will put more pressure on teachers and schools to prove they are meet targets which will have to be created, and therefore more testing of students to prove those targets are being met. Therefore yet again a narrowing of the curriculum will be needed and another significant portion of children's education will be delivered teaching to a test.

4.EBacc target watered down from 90 per cent of pupils entering by 2020 to 75 per cent by "by the end of the next Parliament", with 90 per cent of pupils by 2025.

The EBacc is a farce - excluding the Arts and Technology subjects is already having a major impact on the narrowing of Education, and breeding the perception that some subjects are are more important than others. So according to this Tory government studying Latin and Ancient Classics (both included in the EBacc) is more important and useful than Art, Drama, Music, Graphics, Resistant Materials, Product Design and electronics (just some of the subjects excluded). Do you want your children to go to a school where they cannot even experience these subjects, let alone opt to get a qualification in them? That is what has begun to happen already - before the compulsory targets even come into force.

5. "A curriculum fund to encourage Britain’s leading cultural and scientific institutions, like the British Museum and others, to help develop knowledge-rich materials for our schools"

Okay - not a terrible idea - but still smacks of not trusting educators to know their own areas of study.

6. "We will work with the Independent Schools Council to ensure that at least 100 leading independent schools become involved in academy sponsorship or the founding of free schools in the state system, keeping open the option of changing the tax status of independent schools if progress is not made."

Yup - because only the 'Independent' schools i.e. The posh private schools most of the Tory government went too know best. The few leading the many. And again a target driven system in operation - children are not numbers on a spreadsheet.


And some of the policies we already knew about before today's launch:

7. More grammar schools: "We will lift the ban on the to the establishment of selective schools, subject to conditions, such as allowing pupils to join at other ages as well as eleven."

Again - selective education for the few. Grammar schools do nothing but create wider gaps in social mobility and class divides. But they worked in the 1950's, so they must be right, eh?

8. Building at least 100 new free schools a year, with councils prohibited from creating any new places in schools that have been rated either ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted

Nobody in the education sector wants them. And I mean nobody.

9. Every 11-year-old to know their times tables off by heart

Ooh - how quaint. And more testing.

The Conservative Party have no idea what is going on in our classrooms. They all experienced a privileged schooling and believe what was good for them is good for everyone. It is not.


Something also has to be done about higher education -

More than 9,000 pounds a year in tuition fees is scandalous - it would be still wrong if the students actually got value for their money, but I have talked to a number of my ex-students who get as little as 5-6 hours actual time with university lecturers a week. The rest is research and independent work that is submitted. Where is that money going? To the Universities who are spending it on shiny new buildings to expand the amount of courses/students they can take so that they can get more money. Education should not be a business. Education should be a fundamental right at whatever your age. Selection should be based on ability, motivation and dedication - not on if you can afford it or not.

If I had to pay to go to uni there is every chance I wouldn't have gone and would not be doing what I am doing today. I underperformed in My Alevels and was fairly directionless with what I wanted to do with my life. I was able to access free university tuition where I discovered my passion and drive for a subject I had no access to at school (again - don't get me started on defunding of the Arts by this government). I was able to become a productive and positive influence in society because of a free education system.

How many talented teachers, doctors, scientists actors, musicians, innovators, business leaders, accountants, and people from every profession are we losing every year because they cannot afford to go to college?

Labour may never succeed in turning back the clock to a completely free education system. But by god I will support any party that is willing to try.

a reply to: WeAreSound

As a parent I agree with some of the educational reforms. Too many mediocre teachers and poorly led schools. Resistance at attempts to hold teachers and schools to account. Personally, I don't know why people argue against grammar schools where teaching standards are better. Too many people want to lower the bar to the poorest performing. Too many hypocritical Labour MPs say it's bad, but have their kids in grammar or public schools.

I have seen this in the medical profession. Several years ago surgeons objected to people reviewing their readmission rates. It happened and poor surgeons were identified and managed. Clearly some surgeons did not like it, but the patient did!

So who wants to see Britain again broke at the 2022 election ???

originally posted by: paraphi
a reply to: WeAreSound

Too many hypocritical Labour MPs say it's bad, but have their kids in grammar or public schools.

I was a hypocrite.
I went to a #ty comprehensive school in south Wales and always thought it was unfair that 'the best' pupils had more funding and resources in grammar schools in England.
Fast forward 20 odd years and the absolute best school in my area for results and behaviour is the local grammar school.
The primary school my son attended didn't even teach the modules for the 11+ exam so I paid for a private tutor.
I'm not rich, the tutor cost no more than a few pints a week at the local pub. Friends of mine whined that it excludes poor people, I know loads of poor people who could cut down on a few packs of cigarettes and beers to easily afford a tutor and reminded them as such.

Anyway, my son won his place at the grammar, and the level of education was fantastic, the depth of understanding in the subjects, the discipline, everything. Comprehensive schools are crap, my son's cousin back in Wales proudly boasted she'd got a science GCSE early aged 15, when my lad asked her questions she didn't even understand some basic concepts, she simply passed lame modules with no real understanding of the subject.

Employers know this, educational establishments know this as well, an A* GCSE from a #ty comprehensive is considered as a C grade from a grammar school. It really is about the depth of understanding and critical thinking.
My lad even had a class called Philosophy, Applied Ethics, and Critical Thinking.

I'll admit, he was probably one of the poorest kids in the grammar school, other parents were airline pilots, surgeons, architects, etc, and if he wasn't a hard nut rugby player it is likely he would have been bullied for being skint.
But like it or not, that grammar school education gave him a fantastic start in life, the networks he created there has opened doors for him. As soon as employers and educational establishments see xxxxx grammar school on his form it puts him higher up the list than xxxxx #ty comprehensive school.

So yes, I'm a hypocrite, I wanted the best for my son, and passing that 11+ put him in a school with the best. No scummy kids being disruptive, no crap module based GCSE's which have shallow depth of understanding of the topic, real education in a fantastic environment.

Labour voters will carry on bleating they are elitist and inaccessable for the poor because of the need for private tutors to get through the 11+, but I say bull#, ask the 'poor' how much they spend on booze and cig's every week.
Many 'poor' just haven't got their priorities right. I have, and my son's future is brighter than mine because I paid for that tutor.

I support grammar schools, and I support segregation of ambitious students from the scummy kids who would drag them down because their scummy parents haven't instilled a wish to succeed in their kids mindset.
Flame away folks, flame away.

originally posted by: jamespond

Funnily enough, we don't get that from the Irish anymore. Why is that? Oh yes, it's because we went to the negotiating table!!!

The timing is so comical I really couldn't ignore it...

IRA busted with 6kg of explosives in taxi

A massive New IRA bomb plot was foiled after gardai seized a staggering 6kg (13.2lb) of Semtex in Dublin's north-inner city.

Report is from today!

a reply to: EvillerBob

The scum still exist for sure.

originally posted by: WeAreSound
For a site that proclaims to deny ignorance why is nearly everybody focusing on what the MSM wants us to focus on? All the arguments here are just going back and forwards on terror/ brexit/ immigration/ etc. This is exactly what the media want us to do - to deflect from looking at real policy and what it means for the country.

It doesn't matter what the media focuses on. In my opinion, Terror, Brexit and immigration are the most important subjects for our country. Why should I not focus on them because they are on the media?

originally posted by: paraphi
a reply to: WeAreSound
Personally, I don't know why people argue against grammar schools

Well it quite simple really, it's because that has been one of UKIP's flagship policies for years and now the Conservatives have also now implemented that policy (to prevent more votes going to UKIP/bring back ex-Tory voters from UKIP), Labour definitely won't support it, even if most of their MP's have benefited from Grammar schools. You see, Labour feel they need to be the opposition for nearly everything, even if it is a good idea!

And the only comments I hear from the opposition is that apparently the kids that do not make the grade to get into a grammar school, are forever haunted for the rest of their lives. Which is complete bollocks.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

It kind of hurts to read the words of some od my fellow Brits on here. It seems we are offended that someone dare offer us prosperity?

"How dare he say he will create 1m new jobs"
"How dare he say he will try to negotiate with terrorists rather than the constant military campaign that's done absolutely nothing over 15 years except add fuel to the problem?"
"How dare he suggest to improve social services, and actually provide us a costed method of doing so?".

When did every single person in the UK become an economist?

Why are people constantly mentioning Blair's Labour when anyone with half a political brain knows that wasn't a true representation of the party we have today. It's a moot point.

Why are you all so keen to stick with what we have? Why? It's actually infuriating to hear the alternates constantly attacked but not once hear a reason to why we should accept the current standard?

Our countries become a joke. Absolutely nothing May has said or proposed has the chance of turning that fact around. Literally 0%. You know exactly what you're getting:

- more cuts to infrastructure spending and social services (and then blame ex-Labour for an immigrant issue when it's the current government that refuses to spend where the money is needed to deal with it)
- more money going on useless military tactics that have done absolutely nothing to stop brutal attacks on our public
- more of our privacy taken away because we have no idea how to deal with the terrorist problem so we will have to go full minority report on everybody
- a country that will bend over any day of the week for America and let our entire national wellbeing ultimately lie in the hands of international interests rather than ours

Yeah, let's keep doing this. Let's keep going. It's clearly working. Look at any statistic that indicates any measure of a country's worth. Let's keep to our good ol' fashioned slogans like 'Tories for mature workers, Labour for young rebels'. It's obviously doing a treat for the country.

I have a Masters degree and work 9-5 in a respectable profession. Who on Earth cares? I feel the plight of our modern society everyday like the rest of you do. This isn't about class or maturity for crying out loud. Just look around and ask yourself: is this working?

As for the extremely delicate issue of nukes recently; we have anti ballistic missile defence systems that ensure not one nuke will reach our airspace. We do not need a nuke to stop anyone destroying us. The principle of mutually assured destruction doesn't exist anymore because warheads stayed static yet defence systems went off the radar (no pun intended).

So, you have to ask yourself one simple question when it comes to having a nuke: do I ever feel it's justified for us as the UK to destroy approx. up to 2m civilians in one fell swoop because a certain country made us angry enough? I personally do not think this is a smart way to use destructive force at all. We have more sophisticated methods of targeted destruction.

It's like we've just given in to this painted world of fear, debt and destruction. Any positive talk is seen as fairy # and shot down. No one has hope left it seems. Honestly, these arguments are beyond tiring. I'm starting to feel like this polarised party system based democracy doesn't work. It's 1 step forward 1 step back every 5 years in someone's eyes.

a reply to: 83Liberty

Lol, true

Why vote for a candidate who is justifying terrorist attacks by saying British and NATO attacks against non-uniformed religious fanatics, who are not supported by any legally recognized Islamic state, are the reason why Britain has been attacked?

Corbyn's philosophy is treasonous.

a reply to: Miracula2

Yep, he's a traitor.
He was against the UK reclaiming the Falklands, instead advocating for ceding sovereignty to Argentina in a lets-play-nice-and-share deal.
#ing traitor, and a weak one at that.

The real reason Britain has attacks like Manchester is because of people like Corbyn. Bleeding heart leftists which allow unlimited immigration from 3rd world countries and then turn around and put the blame on their own countrymen who didn't have a say in immigration from 3rd world rat holes.

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Yes, at least trying to talk to them is better than the current policy which is not working.

I can't actually believe what I am reading...
Perhaps it's just the American mentality that we "Don't negotiate with terrorists" that is driving me here. But there is no open discussion with ISIS. Anyone living in ISIS controlled territory knows this.
So this is your plan?

originally posted by: jamespond

originally posted by: noonebutme

originally posted by: jamespond
Like I've said on here before, it's not Jeremy Corbyn's fault that you haven't got a clue about western policy in the middle east since the end of the second world war.

Ah yes of course. Islamic terrorism is the fault of the western world. How silly of me.

Yes you're right. The UK needs someone who will negotiate with them in order to placate them. That's the best way to deal with savage barbarians -- rational discussions.

You should go up to Manchester and let the victims' families know where the blame resides. I'm sure they would be very welcoming to your thoughts.

Well perhaps you should cast your mind back to when it was the Irish blowing people up in Manchester. It wasn't that long ago you know.

Funnily enough, we don't get that from the Irish anymore. Why is that? Oh yes, it's because we went to the negotiating table!!!

Go peddle your BS elsewhere please

Did the IRA want everyone to convert to Irish Catholicism or be killed? No.

they had certain, limited goals and thus it was possible to negotiate with them.

You would also do well to look up how many of their top bomb makers and planners were killed in the 18 months leading up to them agreeing to talk.

a reply to: SprocketUK

As repugnant as I think the IRA are, only a fool would compare them to the savages of ISIS/Daesh.
...lots of fools here on ATS lol

Isn't Jezza a complete and utter nut though? Personally I think it would be hilarious if he actually won. The recent polls show he may be in with a chance. He'd probably turn the UK into Greece and Sweden simultaneously.

Still May and co probably not much better which is a sad state of affairs.

I read somewhere colleagues call him "nut boy" behind his back, don't know how much truth is in that...

originally posted by: SprocketUK

originally posted by: jamespond

originally posted by: noonebutme

originally posted by: jamespond
Like I've said on here before, it's not Jeremy Corbyn's fault that you haven't got a clue about western policy in the middle east since the end of the second world war.

Ah yes of course. Islamic terrorism is the fault of the western world. How silly of me.

Yes you're right. The UK needs someone who will negotiate with them in order to placate them. That's the best way to deal with savage barbarians -- rational discussions.

You should go up to Manchester and let the victims' families know where the blame resides. I'm sure they would be very welcoming to your thoughts.

Well perhaps you should cast your mind back to when it was the Irish blowing people up in Manchester. It wasn't that long ago you know.

Funnily enough, we don't get that from the Irish anymore. Why is that? Oh yes, it's because we went to the negotiating table!!!

Go peddle your BS elsewhere please

Did the IRA want everyone to convert to Irish Catholicism or be killed? No.

they had certain, limited goals and thus it was possible to negotiate with them.

You would also do well to look up how many of their top bomb makers and planners were killed in the 18 months leading up to them agreeing to talk.

Exactly!

IRA had some legitimate goals and there was room for negotiation.

ISIS? What the # is there to talk about? They have one goal, convert to there specific version of Islam or die.
I don’t see any room for negotiation here.....