Poor White Children Are The Worst Achievers At School.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342520/Poor-white-children-likely-succeed-ethnic-group-warns-chief-inspector-schools.html

/// Sir Michael, a former headteacher, told the Sunday Times: 'Where those youngsters aren't getting jobs, then they will be attracted to organisations like the English Defence League, and we need to worry about that as a society.' ///

In his role as Ofsted's Chief Inspector, he would be better employed worrying about why some 'poor white children' are underachieving, and then taking measures to reverse the problem, rather than using this disgraceful situation to make a political point?

[bednobs]

i am presuming he has no powers to intervene in the way you mean - how could a schools inspector change the economic situation of families? i think the way he has made his point is to try to "scare" the govt into action. him "worrying" about the situation osn't going to help all that much is it?

[FredPuli43]

Quite right ,aog. It's not his place to suggest that ill-educated, frustrated, unemployed young people would find the English Defence League attractive..

That's a slur on the EDL, who, we are all sure, have a membership of highly educated people who are not frustrated at all.

Which organisations are 'like' the EDL ?

[anotheoldgit]

You are wrong when you say that he has no powers to intervene, surely in his position he does have the power to get the Government to act, perhaps by increasing resources that they have done to bring the inner cities standards up to scratch.

/// him "worrying" about the situation isn't going to help all that much is
it? ///

The word 'worry' was in retaliation to his remark "we need to WORRY about that as a society".

[Old_Geezer]

At the risk of generalising I suspect poor white kids aren't in a culture that believes it shameful not to achieve academically and a family that is poor is under strain and so is less likely to find the time to push their youngsters into doing well anyway. Plus if you see the last generation having not done well it tends to set your goals for you. Some may be determined to get out, most will feel disillusioned. Couple that with a peer culture in schools where it seems there is a tendency to see high academic marks as a sign of a swot and not cool, and the problems arise. it's probably such a combination of such things that cause the issue, chip away at one and that may be enough for the victims may escape the life of low/no achievement.

That said the separate issue of no jobs is also a concern, and the reasons for that are numerous also. Free movement of labour does not help those who grew up in a relatively higher wage higher prices country who expect a higher standard of workplace environment and respect. Again multiple things feed the feeling of dissatisfaction and lack of belonging. And the need to find a reason why.

[THECORBYLOON]

"In his role as Ofsted's Chief Inspector, he would be better employed worrying about why some poor white children' are underachieving, and then taking measures to reverse the problem, rather than using this disgraceful situation to make a political point?" The paper says, "The report, the first into the academic gap between rich and poor in a decade, also states that children from affluent families are nearly twice as likely to leave school with five good GCSEs than those from underprivileged backgrounds. Sir Michael announced measures to tackle the disparity, such as more closely monitoring schools and encouraging successful schools to support those nearby that are struggling" Looks like he is doing something about it to me.

[bednobs]

he is not in a position to change the economic situations of families. You say he does have the power to get the govt to act - well that's what he is trying to do by this statement. I would think it fairly obvious that the govt would be against the rise of extremist groups, so by saying that that's what will happen, he is doing his best to make the govt act

[anotheoldgit]

Old_Geezer

A good post OG but it does not explain why it is only the poor white kids that are suffering?

[bednobs]

it does - it's the families, who don't expect their children to acheive, don't push them, don't read to them, let them roam the streets at night, don't give them a good breakfast. If it was the faukt of the school, then it wouldn't just be the white children at the bottom would it?

[Old_Geezer]

I think it is a multi-cultural society which means white kids do not have exactly the same influences as others.

[cazzz1975]

I agree with bednobs, the worst achievers (not including those with learning disabilities) normally come from some quite dysfunctional households.

[anotheoldgit]

bednobs

/// he is not in a position to change the economic situations of families. ///

You are also missing the point for some reason, it's not just a matter of the economic situation of families, if it was then all such families would be experiencing this underachievement in education, regardless of their colour.

[naomi24]

AOG, why do you think poor white children are the worst achievers at school?

[THECORBYLOON]

Anotheoldgit, do you not agree that he is doing something about the situation?

[Gromit]

The poorer white children have always done badly at school.

Rather than blame their own truancy and lazyness in class, it is easier for them to blame immigrants for taking their jobs. The fact that they have left school unemployable is regettable.

The EDL were in town yesterday AOG, and I saw them up close. There did not appear to be lawyers and brain surgeons amongst them. One worrying aspect yesterday was the EDL had cancelled the march and told the police. 200 of them turned up anyway, possibly because they couldn't read.

[anotheoldgit]

bednobs

/// it does - it's the families, who don't expect their children to acheive, don't push them, don't read to them, let them roam the streets at night, don't give them a good breakfast. If it was the faukt of the school, then it wouldn't just be the white children at the bottom would it? ///

Are you then saying that it is only white kids who's parents couldn't care less, if it is then surely that is not only over generalising, but also slightly racist.

[anotheoldgit]

naomi24

/// AOG, why do you think poor white children are the worst achievers at school? ///

I do not because I am not in the position to make that judgement I was merely posting a thread on an Ofsted report, which actually said they were.

[THECORBYLOON]

The report also shows it is not poor white children in general but those in rural or coastal areas.

[naomi24]

AOG, so you have no idea why it's happening, but you think it's 'disgraceful' - and actually I think you're right in that assessment. These children's parents are failing to support and encourage them and should be ashamed of themselves.

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// Anotheoldgit, do you not agree that he is doing something about the situation? ///

I would not know, all that I can see he has done is to help to create a report, make a few suggestions and then made remarks about the EDL to try and frighten the government into some form of action.

[anotheoldgit]

naomi24

/// These children's parents are failing to support and encourage them and should be ashamed of themselves. ///

Ah just another case of "I blame the parents", couldn't possible be a case of lack of funding, not in the right racial grouping, poor teachers, or all three?

Far easier and less disturbing to blame the parents.