Dear Nicola,
Thank you for your recent correspondence about the Government’s consultation into home education.
I find it incredible that the Government needs to hold yet another consultation in the issue of home education. This is the third consultation in less than four years; with the latest guidelines having only been issued in 2007.
I have a number of concerns about this latest consultation, most notably that the Department for Children, Schools and Families is trying to imply that home education is being used as a cover for child abuse. I find this offensive to those parents who often have to make a very difficult decision about withdrawing their child from school. I also find it inconceivable that the Department has not provided any evidence for linking home education and child abuse, other than saying it is yet “another unknownâ€.
I believe it is essential that every child in this country receives a first-class education and one that is suitable to their needs; to achieve that, parents should have the right to choose the education system that best serves their child and home schooling should be included in this choice. These parents should be entitled to the same presumption of innocence and competence that schooling going children’s parents receive, unless evidence dictates otherwise.
I agree that there needs to be an urgent re-assessment of the way that child protection systems operate, but I do not feel that this should be addressed through victimising those who educate their children at home. I would strongly urge you to respond to the consultation, unfortunately, the consultation is only open for four weeks, as it closes on the 20 February 2009.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to write to me.
Tim Loughton MP
wow. Conservative I’m guessing? Either that or a fully paid up member of EO!
I’ve had no response yet to my email, but I often get them through the post even though I’ve emailed in, so I’ll give it a little while longer yet.
Yep, Tory 😉
Wow, I wish we had an MP who wasn’t a complete waste of space. Fortunately she’s not standing again at the next election – hopefully we’ll get someone with a brain of their own.
I can’t believe that this whole sorry mess is making me think about considering voting Tory. It’s not like their record on the freedom of society as a whole is great, but at least they have some concept of personal liberty. Agreeing with Peter Hitchen on his Daily Mail blog was disturbing. Am so fucked off.
A and I were just talking about it and I was telling him about the Nanny knows best blog, which covered this recently http://nannyknowsbest.blogspot.com/2009/01/nation-of-snoopers-home-schooling.html
It all makes me want to run for the hills and live in a cave really.
yay your MP. mine will respond by snail mail, so will prob hear after consult closed. but he will respond [also tory]
i’m not sure complaints will do much for this consult, but i am hoping that they might prevent another so ill thought out one, as hoping for at least a bit of behind doors knuckle rapping or alert stickering!
It’s not like their record on the freedom of society as a whole is great,
Isn’t it? Perhaps not.
Trouble is neither is labour’s based on what I’ve seen over the last 11 years and it is a damn site worse than previous governments. Even if the conservatives end up doing nothing to repeal Labour’s authoritarian laws you just have to remember that the only consultation result that will actually stop Labour doing whatever the hell they want for our collective good is from a general election.
I’m all for personal freedom but NannyKnowsBest is petty hysterical reactionary tosh in the main.