Wednesday, October 28, 2009

orwellian double speak

Can I suggest that in ALL our dealings with the PTB, the media etc, we refer not to "proposals for registration" but to "proposals for annual licensing (which the DCSF for some odd reason are calling registration)".

"registration" sounds fine to your average Joe. It just sounds like a list of who's HEdding. Who could object to that? Says Joe. [yes, I would even object to a list, but it gets quickly into a teasy weasy argument about the relationship between the State and the individual and we've lost Joe]

But "licensing", having to ask permission every year, at the whim of some numpty in the LA - yes, Joe is going to see the problem with that even if he reads the Independent. :-D

Balls and the DCSF are Owellian-doublespeaking us. We have to refuse to accept that.

5 comments:

Elaine said...

That is a very sensible suggestion - I think most people outside the EHE world dont see the harm in "a register" so dont look any further

Jax said...

am blogging this now.

Kelly said...

I'm still not sure people will get it. You might go even further and call it "annual request for permission for children to spend their days in their own homes" to make it absolutely, completely clear what is being demanded.

We in North America spent years trying to get people to use the term homelearning or home-based ed rather than homeschooling, just to change the perceptions of what we do. We have had some success, I think, and I agree, you have to call things what they really are if you want people to understand them.

Carlotta said...

Good point. Will do so from now on.

Anonymous said...

EXACTLY!