Wednesday, 23 February 2011
racism in the playground
His Master's Voice (so it must be true) has this report of the start of an employment tribunal process by the head of Moorlands Primary School in west Reading. I posted on this previously, because while I do not know the school or any of the teachers there I was puzzled by the coverage of issues raised by anonymous parents, who were not happy with the head teacher. All that was reported was the parents' unhappiness, with no specific complaints. Following my post (the head teacher is called Sudhana Singh) I got a torrent of racist comment - one parent acknowledges having used racist language and reportedly has apologised for starting the petition - however the governors took the petition seriously and the head was pushed out of her job. The racist comment I got was anonymous, and I have no way of knowing whether it came from Moorlands parents. But who else would have bothered? Anyway, the chair of the school governing body has declined to comment on issues involving individuals. However he bears the responsibility for the original decision, last summer, to take the petition seriously despite the lack of specific issues in it, and thus to remove the head teacher from her post. He is called Malcolm Powers, and is South-East Regional Director of the Labour Party and a former Labour councillor in Reading. Racism in your school, Malcolm? I certainly hope not.
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19 comments:
A healthy dose of racism and other distinguishment would do you all some good.
Is it possible,in this day and age for a reasonable,intelligent person who wishes to adopt a critical attitude toward society not to be accused of racism by someone,somewhere...?
I saw the story in the Daily Mash too. Uummm.. reminds me of a case very similar where the relevant Authority ended up paying almost half million pounds in damages to the headteacher concerned + legal costs. Can RBC afford this kind of damages if the lady wins her case? If it does, as a Reading resident, I would want to know where would the money come from and who is responsible for it. All hypothetical at this stage, of course...
Poor little flower.
Who? Malcolm Powers?
Oh dear. This is getting very personal...Anon 12.31: do share with us what appears very intimate views of the case.
What's going in Reading? First, a Councillor accused of racism. Now, a School accused of racism. I admit two compeltely different cases but hey it looks like the town is in the news for the wrong reasons. Folks, you need to sort yourselves out, there is a Royal Wedding coming up.
Is it possible,in this day and age...doubt it.
I recall that a few years back now that a member of RCRE'S Management Committee was smeared as a BNP supporter, because s/he had raised questions about the level of immigration intothe UK, and was in consequence,forced off the committee by 'someone,somewhere.'
OH for Gawd's Sake,Jane!Your'e starting another nasty little campaign against Powers are u?I mean the last one[OK point taken- u werenot necessarily responsible for that]seemed to drag on inconclusively,for years...
er, no. Powers is chair of the governors of that school, and was when the governing body took the decision to take the playground petition seriously, although it contained no specific complaints, and took the decision not to let Ms Singh defend herself. This is a public position. He may well have been able to seek the position because he has a child at the school, but anyway his previous role as a Reading Labour councillor, and his current paid job as a party official who receives his salary from the Labour Party, are on public record. His name is on that decision, which may well cost the council a lot of money. He went public with it. If he doesn't like publicity, let him not seek public office and not talk to the papers. Oh and not run away from decisions which might be difficult. That last thing might be a little difficult for Mr Powers however.
I am really disgusted with this from Jane as one of the parents on the petition i find it disgraceful this was "vote of no confidence" against the head as parents did not like the way she was running the school, this was by no way anyting to do with her gender or race, no comments were made about race by anyone,this was blamed for the petition, also the other factor that hasn't mentioned is the fact that there was a seperate inquiry due to teachers being unhappy, teachers and school staff leaving the facfts should be looked in to and peoples own moral judgements, this waqs entirely about our childrens education which seems to be ommitted from peoples minds
Coincidence or connection? Current director of children's services was director in Surrey and was heavily involved and criticised in a court case brought by a Head Teacher, who accused the council of racism. That HT won alot of money.
Its no surprise that Powers should be involved in this and part of it as a result of his lack of backbone. I'm sure a proper grown up Chair of Governors could have resolved this matter in the school and the Council Tax payers of Reading would not be paying a Headteacher to sit at home and be facing paying her a lot more money not to teach, paying her lawyers etc. Yet again loads of money wasted in Reading buy Labour.
RE:RCRE.Friend Sopal learnt his skills as a 'smear merchant'in Reading Labour Party whilst a councillor I seem to recall.
Anon 12:58. If the Chair of Governors has failed in his/her duty to sort this out in a Reading School, shouldn't the relevant dept/service have the "back bone" to step in and deal with it promptly? Isn't blaming Labour is an attempt at deflection for the shortcoming of some? Me thinks so.
so the parents just thought about the welfare of their children, hein? why did they go to the press then, instead of seeking to have the matter resolved privately? and what are the specific concerns about the head teacher? and it was a parent who said some at least of the parents behind the petition were racist. I ask again. What has Mrs Singh done wrong?
YUP! And so do I!! What has the woman done wrong?
All this rot about 'the welfare of our chidlren' is just that - ROT unless someone has the guts to put a concrete accusation into the melting pot. Unless it is the usual - for some reason her face doesn't fit - she is 'not liked' not 'one of the group' etc.Or 'a threat'.And so HAS TO GO. It has been done before; is being done now and will be done in the future. This is the way that people fo any authority in the Labour Party operate.
Anon 18.37. Very true. Anyone challenging their practices is personna non gratia ( correct the latin if you wish so). Problem it is also endemic in the Council they had been running for years. Or should I correct that to "are running"? Would be glad to be proved wrong. But so far from personal experience, nought has changed...Coalition thinks they have got a grip on the handdles of power. Can someone shake them out of their delusion? "Someone, Somewhere" is firing the orders Guys and you know it deep down. But hey power on paper sounds good for the CV...
Malcom Powers is a disgusting person, who had damaged my child well being, causing stress, trouble communicating, sneaky and certainly should not be put in a situation where he is in control of such a school, he had bullied, controlled, manipulative and convinced those who are to you to know what is happening other words completely defenseless , he should not have a position in anything to do with the education department and is nothing but a sneaky dog who should be ashamed of himself and can not describe my disgust in his pathetic person and games he try's to play games and appear innocent and caring about the kids. typical that this is posted and more and more reports will appear i am sure . den.
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