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Sunday, 28 September 2014

Communities issued children`s summit challenge

The Education secretary, Michael Russell,  has announced that there will be a Children`s  Summit for Scotland. It will bring together children and young people as well as those who support them and wider civic society. The idea is to begin a conversation that will be taken around the country.

Making reference to the recent referendum, he continued: “The people of Scotland have shown overwhelmingly that our community spirit and our desire to participate towards the betterment of the nation are stronger than ever."

Not really. Some people voted for a Scottish Parliament and others voted for the status quo - community spirit had nothing to do with it. However, I am sure we are all united in wishing a better future for our children.

But is having a conversation with selected guests and invited speakers and then announcing there is a consensus for change, the way to do it? After all, we have seen this trick before. 

It was used to introduce the named person and GIRFEC into law, undermining the right to a private and family life. Now our children are left helpless against state interference and their private data will be in the clouds for generations. Whose interests are the Scottish Government actually working for? No parent who cares for their children would have voted for this.

The same device was used to introduce Curriculum for Excellence, a misnomer if ever there was one, because this is a curriculum to dumb children down. Its experiences and outcomes are about attitudes, values and behaviour - as if that was the business of Government. 

They need careful watching.

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