Schhol Governor Update

[dave1948]

Recently I advised on this board an issue relating school governors and a comment which was perceived as racist.

I promised an update. Today I attended a meeting with the Headteacher and Chair of Governors. Sadly their intransigent approach meant that I was virtually forced to resign or in their words be subject to an enquiry by the Local Authority.

One word which I admit should not have been used (but certainly not intended as being racist) brings an end to four years of service and many hours spent working with children.

Don't let anyone tell you that volunteering is valued today.

[Canary42]

I feel very sorry for the children at that school, having such a small-minded Headteacher and Chair of Governors. The expression was in very common parlance in the past (but NOT as an expression of racism) and while most of we oldies have managed to remove it from our vocabulary, accidental usage slipping out such as described here will always be a danger - but when followed by an immediate apology the slate is clean. What have the children to learn from this - an apology is pointless so don't bother ever to say sorry - well done dopey head teacher.

[dave1948]

Thank you Mamyalynne.

Your wise words and perception are a source of comfort to me. Sadly there are not more people like you about and the world seems to be overtaken by those who have their own agendas. Anyway there's no going back and the real ones to suffer will be children who will have no additional help with reading. Sad to say one misused word can have such an effect

[Prudie]

I thought it meant the same as 'fly in the ointment' I doubt people actually think of flies when they say it, it's an idiom. I don't think anyone would deny it's a phrase that is offensive, my point is that sometimes words roll out of their own accord, An apology should have been accepted and the grown-ups moved on

[factor-fiction]

I remember when the phrase was in common usage. Expressions such as 'play the whiteman' (different context) were also used. Sometimes in a stressful situation we resort to cliches from our memory bank without thinking

[DTCwordfan]

why not volunteer with your Library, I am sure they have some kids' reading programmes.......?

[Canary42]

Exactly FF

[Prudie]

I still say play the whiteman, should I not?

[Milvus]

i am surprised at the level of support for the casual use of this phrase. I ca only surmise that those supporting the use of it are themselves closet racists.
Of course closet racist doesn't mean anything, its just something we used to say

[Mamyalynne]

I don't think you are understanding us very well Milvus - I don't care for the saying and if it had been used to refer to a person I would like it even less.

the point I am making is that a group of so called educated people could have said to Dave - now then we would rather that phrase wasn't used in our meetings.

Instead they dragged it out and forced a decent School Governor to resign.

[kvalidir]

You, Sir, are a twit.

[Mamyalynne]

I haven't seen anyone say 'Well done Dave, using a good old phrase has sent you up in my admiration' or are you reading different comments to me?

[Prudie]

divebuddy I think you may have hit the nail on the head

[kvalidir]

At this point I'm more annoyed about being called a ' closet racist' by Milvus to be honest dive buddy, he seems to exhibit exactly the same sort of 'determined to be offended' attitude that the school head has, irrespective of the actual intention or facts. Really rude and pretty stupid too bearing in mind he has no idea what colour any of us are.

[Mamyalynne]

Agree with both Divebuddy and with Kvalidir (Re Milvus) - but having been called a 'child abuser' on here for sending my children to a faith school, I cease to be amazed at the levels some will stoop to.

[kvalidir]

Really Mamya? That's terrible :(

[Mamyalynne]

Sheer laziness on their part I felt, easier to throw such an assertion out rather than discuss rationally.

[DTCwordfan]

How's our wonderful, darling child abuser? :-) Really, there are some right numpties on here at times and not just the trolls. One over on the 'Queen not in France?" thread as we type.....

[Mamyalynne]

They're all out there.

[Peter Pedant]

A colleague - looked at union work force and started off her address with:
not many white faces here today....

someone DIDN't complain but volunteered that it looked racist

... and off she went.

I must say that I would goggle - or perhaps boggle - or faint
if someone said that in a literary sense on a bus or something....