[SSC] A busy week ahead.

Sun Sep 30 19:38:27 UTC 2012

Alan,

What happened to your daughter last Thursday needs to addressed separately.
At present, I am unable to express my feelings.

I think our communication system has failed us again - the meeting
scheduled for next Wednesday was agreed on (and posted to the list, I
think) at the AGM (I think). A coffee at the Angel, a pint in the Jolly
Brewer, a glass of wine over dinner at my place... it's the opportunity for
dialogue, not the beverage, that counts.

Apologies about the minutes, but they will be posted asap.

I do not agree with selection full stop.

If you let Steve have your details, I am confident that your expenses will
be covered.

Respectfully yours,

David

On 30 September 2012 18:46, Alan Gurbutt <agurbutt at gmail.com> wrote:

>  Hi David,
>
> I have to say that I don't agree with you on several counts and I know my
> comments are not at all relevant, if they were, meetings would be consulted
> upon before being agreed. This is a rehash of in-between meetings from last
> week. There are no minutes from Saturday.
>
> I agreed to take care of the website on Thursday only to find out today a
> meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss its development. I'm not sure
> if I can afford to attend. If I am to attend I would add communication to
> the agenda i.e., learning support. Will work be eligible for travelling
> expenses?
>
> Another point is - and it was raised at Michael Fielding's lecture - there
> is a disparity between community focused primary schools and market driven
> higher education. I noted the commentator said there were some exceptions
> to his positive experience with his primary school, but it didn't go far
> enough. Purposely so.
>
> Michael Fielding was unaware of the continuation of academic selection as
> young as 10 years old in Lincolnshire. Ok, I could have spoken out, but I
> was concerned that talk of discrimination wouldn't bode well with the
> purpose of SSC. I want to raise this now.
>
> What does one have to do in Lincolnshire to become involved in democratic
> education? I won't join the Labour Party, so was hoping for scope within
> SSC.
>
> To reiterate, there is no representation for education on the Lincolnshire
> coast. CERD supported anti academies in Louth, yet appear to have no
> appetite to discuss rejection by 11+. Why is this? Furthermore, do you
> agree that children should be selected on faith?
>
> Just to add some context. From personal experience, children on the
> coastal strip have been told in Y6 that if they are naughty they will go to
> our all ability schools and academies (they are not comprehensives),
> whereas, children who behave will go to grammar school. This is
> Lincolnshire's worst kept secret.
>
> Back to the public lecture. I had a governor's meeting on Thursday so had
> to decide whether to attend the lecture or to honour my commitments at our
> school. The decision was taken out of my hands. I had spent the morning in
> school discussing how to improve outcomes for children with additional
> needs, but later that day my 12 year old daughter returned home covered in
> spit. It was in her hair and on her coat. She was deeply distraught and
> looked as though she felt violated. Grace has also had to endure text
> messages from troubled pupils.
>
> I hate to admit it, but I don't think this would have happened in a
> grammar school or faith based school. The type of school my daughters
> attend is a byproduct of Lincolnshire's selective system - which, appears
> to be supported by the DfE. This is not to say teachers don't work bloody
> hard, but the odds are stacked against them. Academic selection distorts
> school intakes, lowers self-esteem and exacerbates austerity.
>
> No, I don't want to think of SSC as a Greek / Roman Symposium. To me this
> would further instil snobbery, Plato elitism, already inherent in
> Lincolnshire education. I want to talk about real-life social issues with
> people who are able to think dialogically.
>
> Alan
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On 30 Sep 2012, at 13:57, David McAleavey <davidmcaleavey at virginmedia.com>
> wrote:
>
>  Thanks for this Steve.
>
> Thanks for offering to chair on 20.10 (or 13.10, if we rationalise - and
> Alan's comment is VERY relevant re: deciding such things), and your
> enthusiasm for a SSC Symposium... if I remember correctly, wine was also
> considered a vital ingredient!
>
> DM
>
> On 30 September 2012 10:08, STEPHEN HOPKINS <hopkins668 at btinternet.com>wrote:
>
>>  David and All
>> I will be at the Angel Coffee House on Tuesday but not at the business
>> meeting on Wednesday.
>> Re the agenda for Wednesday - I'd be happy to take the chair on the 20th
>> October - although I wonder about rationalising a little and holding the
>> meeting scheduled for the 20th on the 13th before/after the workshop if
>> this is going ahead. I'm just conscious of peoples time.
>> The idea of a meal sound a great one. Originally ( Greek and Roman ) a
>> Symposium  was a meeting with intellectual conversation following a meal.
>> Perhaps we need to hold our first Symposium !
>> Steve
>>
>>
>>   ------------------------------
>> *From:* David McAleavey <davidmcaleavey at virginmedia.com>
>> *To:* ssc <ssc at lists.aktivix.org>
>> *Sent:* Sunday, 30 September 2012, 7:26
>>
>> *Subject:* [SSC] A busy week ahead.
>>
>>  Dear Alan and All,
>>
>> You will not be surprised to hear that I would welcome the opportunity to
>> discuss the science, and creative potential, of our evolved capacities for
>> social and individual learning... I'll get the first coffees on Tuesday
>> Alan!
>>
>> Tuesday: Can all scholars (student and teacher) raise their hand if they
>> will be joining us at the Angel Coffee House at 6.00pm.
>>
>> Wednesday: We have an organisational meeting at Pathways scheduled to
>> start at 7.00pm
>>
>> Proposed agenda
>>
>> A new model for agenda setting/minute taking (Zoraida and David)
>> Feedback on Michael's lecture (David)
>> Feedback on 2nd October Angel (a student scholar)
>> Decision making workshop proposal 13.10.2012 (Sara M.)
>> Our Purpose... I propose a meal. (David)
>> Website development
>> Sociological Imagination
>> Creative Projects (2013)
>> A chair for 20.10.12 (David and Sarah in Liverpool)
>>
>> Please let me have any other items for the agenda.
>>
>> Thursday
>> Thanks again to Sarah, Zoraida and Mike for facilitating this course, I
>> think we're all excited to see where our individual - and collective
>> - imagination will lead us... which (kind of) brings me back to my first
>> point. What sort of society can *we* imagine? How can *we* contribute to
>> creating it?
>>
>> Respectfully yours,
>>
>> David
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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