Saturday, July 04, 2009

Petition template for marginals

Declaration: At the next general election I intend to vote for a candidate who opposes the DCSF’s proposed legislation relating to intrusive educational monitoring and welfare surveillance of Home Educators. This proposed legislation would:
- give Local Authority staff right of access to our homes without reason to suspect any wrong doing (even the police do not have this power!)
- give Local Authority staff the right to interview our children whether they are willing to be interviewed or not, without anyone supportive present, and without reason to suspect that any harm is being done to them (even social services do not have this power!)
- give Local Authority staff power of veto over who is allowed to register as a home educator, placing those who home educate in unconventional yet effective ways (Christian curriculum? Waldorf- or Steiner-inspired? Summerhill-inspired? Autonomous?) or in unconventional circumstances (Family on benefits? Single parent family? Wrong religion? Roma or travellers? Child with special needs? Parent with illness or disability?) at the mercy of what the LA staffer considers to be an appropriate approach and suitable family circumstances.

The proposed legislation is disproportionate, uncosted and inconsistent.

[insert pretty table with following columns:]

NAME
POSTCODE
HAVE YOU VOTED IN A UK GENERAL ELECTION BEFORE?
HAVE YOU VOTED LABOUR IN THE PAST?
SIGNATURE


You can signal your opposition by
- signing Early Day Motion 1785 if you are a sitting MP
- issuing a press statement
- writing to your party HQ to register your opposition to the proposed legislation.

1 comment:

Carlotta said...

Am going to forward this link on the Stroud lot, although apparently Mr Drew has worked closely with Mr Badman and thinks he would never do anything disproportionate.

Funnily enough, this was how Mr B. made me feel when I actually met him. I do now know better.