It's rare that you find me using the words 'bravery' and 'Headteacher' in the same sentence, but Sheffield Head Julia Robinson certainly deserves our admiration. On taking up her post, she felt that rather than having separate assemblies for different religious groups, it might be better to just have one for everybody. (I think that most sane people would agree with that idea). Needless to say the Council recommended setting up a working party to waste time rather than just letting her make a simple decision and supporting it.
When a few parents inevitably complained, it would appear that she did not get any support and has now resigned in protest.
It is easy to go on a march or make a protest when you do not risk anything; but to resign your job over something you believe in takes great courage. How often do you hear of someone high up in a profession doing something like this? Can you imagine the Manager of a bank resigning because they are encouraged to push loans onto people too stupid to resist them? Or a High Court judge walking out because the sentencing guidelines prevent them adequately punishing a criminal, despite the fact that they routinely complain of this?
The Council should hang their heads in shame (rather than hanging their Heads out to dry); for not backing her to the hilt. She doesn't seem to have got much support from her staff or Union either.
9 comments:
She was off work for most of the year after suffering hostility from parents. After letting the dust settle, she tried to return but the parents would not have it. She was forced to resign. When I say 'parents' I'm sure you know what type of parents.
And nobody would stand up and support her? Can her decision really have been that unpopular amongst.... everyone? Where were the unions? The GTCE (hahahaha only joking)?
Easy solution: keep ALL religion out of state education. The farce that is a "broadly Christian" assembly is in many areas (ours) is representing the smallest minority group in the school and even they don't actually practise it.
"Can you imagine the Manager of a bank resigning because they are encouraged to push loans onto people too stupid to resist them?"
My cousin did exactly that, over two years ago; 'encouraged' is not the right word though, 'pressured' fits more closely.
And yes, there are sometimes reports of at least Magistrates resigning because of their inadequate sentencing powers.
Back O/T, a brave woman indeed, lets hope she gets a place in a private school which don't go in for this nonsense.
Its hard to stand up for the current national religion of the United Kingdom these days without being painted as a member of the BNP.
It embarrasses me that countries I holiday in have no problems at all with displaying their national flag yet for us it is either a mildly amusing anachronism (Union Jack) or the mark of a fascist (Cross of St George).
We don't have that problem in Wales (although being perceived as a quaint wannabe Druid or Other Mystical Celt isn't exactly complimentary) possibly because Wales is not identified as an oppressor.
@Anonymous: Xianity is NOT the national religion. There aer more practicing Muslims than Xians in Britain today. What we properly need is complete and total separation of religion and state. Secularism is the only fair way.
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Frank, two things:
1. There should be no apostrophe in your last line:
The Council should hang it's collective heads in shame for not backing her to the hilt.
This reads "The Council should hang IT IS collective heads..."
2. To prevent hit-and-runs from trolls, might i suggest you make it a rule that no one post anonymously?
@Kimpatsu: The queen is "defender of the faith" and head of the church of England, all british ceremonial prayers are in English to God; any of this sound familiar?
Turning this into a numbers game will only provoke a backlash (public and private) against non-christian religions, and turn the religion into a breeding / conversion competition.
(Same anonymous as last time)
I leave anonymous comments because I am a computer illiterate and it's (correct apostrophe I hope) easier just to click that button.
Kimpatsu said there are more practising muslims in the uk than christians. That's just plain untrue, he should get his facts straight. Julia Robinson is a superb headteacher and if there is any intolerance it is from a minority of bigoted muslim parents.
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