Comments for Rachelm08's Weblog

Comment on TEACHING REFORM NEEDED by Victoria GIll

Victoria GIll — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:35:17 +0000

My mum is a teaching assisstant at the local school. She works with the behavioural children – the ones that don’t want to learn, would rather throw things and swear and disrupt all those who actually would rather learn.
The school’s answer was to remove them from the mainstream schools, sit them all together in a crampt room and let my mother handle their mood swings and try to get them to learn enough to pass their GCSEs.
You would think that the well-being and the education of the students would be the priority of the school. You’d be wrong.
The school has a N.C to stick to, targets to reach, grades to hit. And all with not enough staff because they are too tight-fisted to get help.
My mum has been left to fend for herself, trying to teach these students, even though she isn’t a teacher because they don’t want to find someone who will (who’d they’d have to pay more for).
If the teachers took the time to talk to these children, they would find that the children mess around because they do not know the subjects they are being taught. The teacher doesn’t have the time or doesn’t want to help, preferring to teach those who do know it so as to get better results for the school.
I totally agree with your statement. Teachers should listen to students – the very people they are meant to be there for – to see if they understand. Not chasing targets and grading tables. It is the children who will ultimately loose out, our future generations.

Comment on THE MONARCHY – AN OUTDATED CONCEPT by betht123

betht123 — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:26:51 +0000

I have to disagree and say that it makes complete sense to keep the monarchy although their role is now largely ceremonial.

First and foremost it is not going anywhere because the vast majority of people in this country want it and it is easy to see why.

The monarchy makes much more money than it costs to keep through tourism and it has also become better value for money in recent years.

In fact it costs the average tax payer 68p per year, the cost of a loaf of bread, and for this they get so much more in return.

The Queen is undoubtedly a good representative for this country abroad, and in all her dedicated years of service has never stepped a foot out of line.

The monarch is also living symbol of our history.

While politicians come and go the monarchy is forever. It can be argued that whilst a political party is only voted in by part of the electorate the Queen represents everyone.

Comment on THE MONARCHY – AN OUTDATED CONCEPT by ajwood1

ajwood1 — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:06:00 +0000

I am also no monarchist and have found much of what they stand for to be outdated and elitist.

My grandparents were invited to a royal garden party due to my grandad’s service in the army and, although my grandma was very excited about “getting all dressed up for the Queen” she was rather dissapointed when she actually got there. She reported that the Royal Family actually did very little “mingling with the commoners.”

Events like the garden parties and honours ceremonies are surely for the people in our country who have made a contribution not for the Royal family themselves.

Knighting popstars and footballers should surely take second place to awarding those ordinary people, such as servicemen and charity workers who truly contribute to their country and communities.

In a time when the monarchy is coming under criticism and scruitiny for their lack of use, surely they should be working towards establishing better relations with the public, not infuriating them even more.

That said, the monarchy have made a number of changes in reaction to criticism. The Queen removed all members of her family, apart from herself, her husband and her late mother from the Civil List in the 1990s. The Queen also pays a voluntary income tax and it is true that the Royal Family generates more money than it uses.

The Way Ahead Group is an advisory pannel to the Royal family, helping them respond to public needs and public criticism. I think if they keep listening and keep responding they could have a positive future.

Comment on THE MONARCHY – AN OUTDATED CONCEPT by ianwaterhouse

ianwaterhouse — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:39:38 +0000

I’m no monarchist (whatever one of those may be), but I do think that we should keep the Queen / King, etc. at the head of our nation (whatever our nation may be!).

Firstly, to deal with your points: the monarchy does NOT cost us money, it actually makes us money, and quite a lot of it too. Income from estate owned by the Crown (which I think is about a quarter of Britain’s surface area) is surrendered to parliament. This amount far exceeds all expenditure on the monarchy.

Second, to say that the monarchy is of no real importance is not fair. A key role is in the area of international relations, with the Queen often taking the lead in meetings with Heads of State (particularly those in HER Commonwealth). I’d much rather have her do this than Gordon Brown. And having lived in Germany for a year, a country with no monarchy, I can vouch for the fact that their gossip columns are filled with tittle-tattle from other monarchies around Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Britain.

And to say that the concept is outdated is difficult to agree with once the previous two points have been made.

The impact of tourism to the economy brought by visitors to Buckingham Palace, etc. is also often overlooked in proposals that the monarchy should be abolished.

Lastly, if you ask someone in a foreign country to name a British person, they might just say the Queen. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.