Housey 'Peaceful Revolution'

[Angela Woodford]

I checked out the facebook link this morning - what's new? - and was appalled to read that one of the Masters has mocked pupils about the location of their homes.

I really think that's awful, and fully support any consequent indignation! Absolutely contrary to the reasons that CH was ever created at all.

[J.R.]

A CH master, Angela ????

He should be sacked on the spot if this accusation is substantiated.

[Jo]

Let's calm down a bit, eh? According to Facebook, it was summer term 2007, which, unless I am mistaken, was during the rule of the last head so beloved of the Facebook gang. And again, unless I am mistaken, the master concerned is no longer at the school anyway.

Not that I am excusing it - but don't let's try and make it yet another black mark against the new head.

[Angela Woodford]

"The facebook gang". There are an awful lot of sympathisers for a mere gang! I know very little about the modern CH, but for so many pupils to feel that things have changed in a non-CH-ethos way - well, I shall be interested to see what happens.

[J.R.]

Could this be a case of 'sour-grapes' because the new Head has instilled a tougher discipline code than was operated by the last head ?

[midget]

It sounds as though you are right, John

[nastymum]

I have met [the master concerned] and find it hard to believe the incident as reported on face book is exactly as it seems. It is certainly true that a number of the the facebook contributors have been rather economical with the truth about their own behaviour. You would have to be an insider to get a different pespective on this.I urge all OBs and parents to to take a liberal pinch of salt. Like one the size of a Russian salt mine.

[Great Plum]

I know that there some maybe upset about the new 'tougher' regime, but a lot of people I have talked to are worried about the loss of the special CH ethos... time will tell if they are right... I think it's that aspect of things that I would be worried about...

[Ajarn Philip]

I suppose my only real contribution is that everyone involved in the regimes of 20-30+ years ago should thank their lucky stars that the internet wasn't around. I'm with nastymum (I think) on this - unless you (or your child) have some first-hand experience of all this, I'd leave it for the school to sort out. I can't imagine it's being ignored.

'Nuff said, back in my box. (sorry, that was the closest I could get...)

P.S. Afterthought. How many other 'pupil protest' forums and groups are there on the internet? Hang on...

Google hits:

pupil protest: 893,000
pupil protest groups: 760,000
student protest groups: 357,000
student protest: 1.5 million

Obviously the vast majority have absolutely nothing to do with the specific gripes of British schoolkids, but let's keep this in perspective.

[J.R.]

Pupil protest ???

Never happened in my day. We wouldn't have been able to sit down comfortably for a week !

[Mid A 15]

What do we mean by CH Ethos or perhaps the question should be what do "they" (the facebook rebels) mean by CH Ethos?

My understanding, rightly or wrongly, is that CH exists to provide opportunities for those who would "benefit" from those opportunities but because of "need" (however that is defined but probably financial in the majority of cases) probably wouldn't get those opportunities without the intervention of CH.

I also understood that "benefit" was defined in academic terms to be capable of achieving a minimum standard, 5 "O" levels when I was young, perhaps 5 GCSEs at A-C today. Hence the perception (misplaced in my case) that CH pupils are "clever" as discussed elsewhere on the forum.

I accept that I'm an Old Fart but this post on the facebook link from "Serin" depressed me:

...."I havent taken the time to read everything cos of the sheer length, but, my views:

AT THE END OF THE DAY...

This is the 21st century. Compare the restrictions and lives of whats being forced upon us to what life would be like at home. Or at least an average life.
Fair enough, for some people, living at home would not be comfortable, but im sure alot would agree its far more restricting than most.

What annoys me alot, is if pupils are breaking the rules, smoking, drinking, drugs, violence, theft, (im not saying any of this is right or happens on a regular basis) but the school is encouraging charity for families with less money to come to the school, and especially from london.

What do they expect when they invite people from less wealthy areas of london to come to their school?
The contradiction is stupid.

Anyways, if anyone replies to this that would be great."......

As a "Sarf East London" boy myself (SE 18) why the expressed assumption that just because you are poor you are incapable of behaving in a disciplined, law abiding fashion?

Given the premise of an aspiration to attain a minimum academic standard outlined above surely it goes without saying that a certain amount of discipline from both oneself and the school is necessary?

To my way of thinking such discipline does not damage the CH Ethos but enhances it as it helps "needy children" achieve at an academic level and participate in activities that otherwise would not be accessible to them.

[J.R.]

Nice post Mid A 15 !

[midget]

I agree (again as a "Sarf" Londoner SE10). "Serin" appears to be more than a little arrogant about those who come from less favoured backgrounds than his/hers.

[nastymum]

Spot on Mid A 15!

[huntertitus]

What I think upsets me the most, is the 'keeping in' of the pupils...

I know that as a junior, we would have to be in house by 5pm in Michaelmas and Lent Terms on days when there were no lessons and 7pm in the summer term... seniors was another story of course...

Anyway, I used to spend my time walking with friends around the mile, or grabbing a coffee in my girlfriend's house, or looking after music practice in Music school, or perhaps doing some prep in the History Library, maybe even helping with stage crew (or drinking their coffee) in the theatre... It seems that these extra curricular sociable activities are seemingly being curtailed for sky tv and zobbing...

I also think that taking the Grecians out of the houses may actually be contributing to this decline, but I can only comment on what I know about...

Interestingly, the vicar at my church said: "In the first year you can do no wrong, the second, no right, and by the third, they are looking for the next incumbent..." It seems that poor old Mr Franklin has skipped a year...

I utterly agree with this

In my time '69-'77 we spent a hell of a lot of time outside climbing trees, long long walks to the derelict Southwater Brickworks, Westons Farm and the dump nearby which was against the rules but was the start of my lifetime collecting of antique radios, the first models "collected" from the dump! I also found a quite valuable Victorian clock and remember the vile smell of a dead dog nearby. Walks to the lag where we built rope swings, to Doctors Lake to fish, to Shelleys Wood to jump in the mud in "Slippery Slap", walking Rupert, The Peto's lovely dog, with Mark Dawson I'd go to the barn on Sharpenhurst to collect owl droppings looking for skulls of birds and mice they'd eaten. And placing CH buttons and coins on the railway tracks was probably not the best idea but at least out in the fresh air.

I find it appalling that teachers would encourage kids to watch Sky TV and not go out and do healthy things. Don't mention smoking, drinking, etc., I did those too but would almost rather that than sitting fatly every night souking up the complete rubbish on TV!