Girl in Union Jack dress.

[lardy]

Top marks for picking up on a minute part of the story there. You know she wasn't expelled from the school, but she was removed from the class. Removed, perhaps was the better word to use ��

Minute part? The consequences are the whole point of the story!

I would imagine the idea of the event was to recognise the different cultures within the school. Most of the kids are probably British anyway (I put the school postcode here https://crystalroof.co.uk/report/pos...T/demographics and the area is 86% White British), but here is one event or day to celebrate and learn from other cultures within the school - the other cultures and not the dominant one that is represented every day. One day for children who don't look like the others to know they are accepted, and talk about where their grandparents live..

The school clearly didn't handle it well. Before, they should have made clear that it was not about being ashamed of British culture or excluding it. On the day, they didn't handle it sensitively enough. But I can see that if they'd allowed a union jack dress then the following year half the kids might come in as if it's the last night of the proms, and then it's not a celebration of other cultures within the school.

It's clearly been weaponised since if she's going to do the speech at a Tommy Robinson rally. The school has had to shut for the summer holidays early because staff are being threatened. It all leaves me thinking 'this is why we can't have nice things'.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

A total set up. Some have said she is 7 years old but to correct that, she is 12.

What kind of father involves his daughter who we know is 12 , not 7 in far right politics with the likes of Tommy Robinson and the odious neo nazi crown funders ?

Clearly a right wing racist one

Unless the analysis is by JW and Heathblue when hes clearly just a " normal dad concerned for his daughter and her culture "

Ff sake

[superfeathers]

I did see the story but didn't read it in detail and take notes ive read more on here about it, it's another divide and conquer event, did her old man write something ?, i have no idea, ive not seen whatever was written. Farage's supporters of the future are being guided to him by lunatics who have gotten a strangle hold in the skools and universities.

This is why the mail thrives. People who donÂ’t understand a story in context yet have an opinion on it. And James is right, thatÂ’s how itÂ’s used by sections of society to drive people towards Tommy Robinson and his ilk. The story with context and for anyone willing to take a few minutes to scratch below the surface is quite different.

[Dorcus]

Although almost certainly well meaning I think the school's idea of holding a "Cultural Interchange" was incredibly naive and a mistake given the current political outlook. It was bang on guaranteed to be hijacked by parents to inflamed tensions. The outcome could have been foreseen light years away.

[JamesWales]

What kind of father involves his daughter who we know is 12 , not 7 in far right politics with the likes of Tommy Robinson and the odious neo nazi crown funders ?

Clearly a right wing racist one

Unless the analysis is by JW and Heathblue when hes clearly just a " normal dad concerned for his daughter and her culture "

Ff sake

She's 12, not 7. According to the Daily Mirror, the speech is below. Maybe you could learn a thing or two as it strikes me as being far more inclusive than most of the stuff you put out, which never shows any respect to those of a different opinion.

Is she influenced by her parent(s)? Probably. Who isnt. You think the people wearing any other type of dress or talking about cultures originating from thousands of miles away have thought it all up themselves? Of course not.

Others make a fair point about the motivation for going to the press. We should all acknowledge that, and I have long thought that with these kind of stories, whether it's a girl being sent home from school for her hair being pink, or an allegation of racism or anything else: it's always parents who go to the press, or at least agree to give interviews.

That doesn't change the broader, far more significant point that says far more about life in modern multicultural Britain. You cannot be ranking these cultures as better or worse than others or give the impression of doing so.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-new...eadmore-target

"Today I want to talk about my culture — British culture — and why it’s important to me. In Britain, we have lots of traditions including drinking tea, our love for talking about the weather and we have the royal family.

"We have amazing history, like kings and queens, castles, and writers like Shakespeare. It's also modern, diverse and always changing - with music fashion and food from all around the world blending into daily life. And let’s not forget fish and chips!

"It's also the way we speak, our humour, our values of fairness and politeness, and the mix of old traditions and new ideas But sometimes at school, we only hear about other cultures — which is great because learning about different countries is interesting and important.

"But it can feel like being British doesn’t count as a culture, just because it’s the majority. I think culture should be for everyone — not just for people from other countries or backgrounds.

"Being British is still a culture, and it matters too. It’s part of who I am. So let’s celebrate all cultures — whether they come from far away or right here at home."

[JamesWales]

Although almost certainly well meaning I think the school's idea of holding a "Cultural Interchange" was incredibly naive and a mistake given the current political outlook. It was bang on guaranteed to be hijacked by parents to inflamed tensions. The outcome could have been foreseen light years away.

I don't think its a bad idea per se, although I do question the constant efforts to segregate us into as many different groups as possible so often, as opposed to promoting unifying concepts.
It's controversial, I guess, and its hard to manage though and they clearly didn't do it well.

[lardy]

You cannot be ranking these cultures as better or worse than others or give the impression of doing so.

Do you think that was the intention of the school with this event, they were ranking cultures?

Which is more likely?

a) A school in an area where people are 86% White British want to throw an event saying that being British is not as good as other cultures.
b) A school realises that minorities may be overlooked and they want to reassure these children that they are just as much a part of the community as non-minorities.


All schools can learn from how this was set up and executed. I don't think for a moment this school was trying to "segregate us into as many different groups as possible so often".

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I don't think its a bad idea per se, although I do question the constant efforts to segregate us into as many different groups as possible so often, as opposed to promoting unifying concepts.
It's controversial, I guess, and its hard to manage though and they clearly didn't do it well.

If you think that speech was written by her then you are even more of an idiot than I thought

Yet again on here you are defending all these right wing idiots and then pretending to be mr chilled out middle of the road

Its complete bollocks and I can see through you like the finest , cleanest window

[JamesWales]

Do you think that was the intention of the school with this event, they were ranking cultures?

Which is more likely?

a) A school in an area where people are 86% White British want to throw an event saying that being British is not as good as other cultures.
b) A school realises that minorities may be overlooked and they want to reassure these children that they are just as much a part of the community as non-minorities.


All schools can learn from how this was set up and executed. I don't think for a moment this school was trying to "segregate us into as many different groups as possible so often".

Probably a mixture of the two tbh.

And I agree on the second point. But I think it's an inevitable consequence of focusing on differences too often as opposed to what unites us.im not sure whether it was you or someone else earlier who talked about people "who needs to see people who look like us". I get the thinking there, but it contains within it a seed of racism and conflict, that people who don't look like us, cannot be aspired to or identified with. I couldn't disagree more with that thinking. I'm not saying that's being implied here, but I would rather much more focus that didn't highlight racial differences, and focused on commonalities.

[JamesWales]

If you think that speech was written by her then you are even more of an idiot than I thought

Yet again on here you are defending all these right wing idiots and then pretending to be mr chilled out middle of the road

Its complete bollocks and I can see through you like the finest , cleanest window

I'm not sure how old you are Sludge, but I'll guess 60 or so and sometimes what you write doesn't always come across as the words of a mature man. So I'm sure it can happen in reverse, yes.

Either way, we are going round in circles here. As ever you just want to talk about the far-right and Nazis so I'm happy to leave it here and wait a while until some other topic is the Nazi of the day and we can debate that in due course.

Enjoy your Sunday evening. 👍👍

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Probably a mixture of the two tbh.

And I agree on the second point. But I think it's an inevitable consequence of focusing on differences too often as opposed to what unites us.im not sure whether it was you or someone else earlier who talked about people "who needs to see people who look like us". I get the thinking there, but it contains within it a seed of racism and conflict, that people who don't look like us, cannot be aspired to or identified with. I couldn't disagree more with that thinking. I'm not saying that's being implied here, but I would rather much more focus that didn't highlight racial differences, and focused on commonalities.

Word cabbage

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I'm not sure how old you are Sludge, but I'll guess 60 or so and sometimes what you write doesn't always come across as the words of a mature man. So I'm sure it can happen in reverse, yes.

Either way, we are going round in circles here. As ever you just want to talk about the far-right and Nazis so I'm happy to leave it here and wait a while until some other topic is the Nazi of the day and we can debate that in due course.

Enjoy your Sunday evening. 👍👍

Let's talk about this lot

https://hopenothate.org.uk/case-files-voice-of-wales/

Far right neo nazis that are intrinsically linked to far right dad and by association those that play the laissez-faire card

[Heathblue]

Word cabbage

Do you mean word salad ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Do you mean word salad ?

No I mean cabbage

As in the state of being cabbaged

Off your face

[lardy]

Probably a mixture of the two tbh.

And I agree on the second point. But I think it's an inevitable consequence of focusing on differences too often as opposed to what unites us.im not sure whether it was you or someone else earlier who talked about people "who needs to see people who look like us". I get the thinking there, but it contains within it a seed of racism and conflict, that people who don't look like us, cannot be aspired to or identified with. I couldn't disagree more with that thinking. I'm not saying that's being implied here, but I would rather much more focus that didn't highlight racial differences, and focused on commonalities.

To reference something you often do, this is the sort of thing that drives people towards Tommy Robinson. The idea that British teachers in a British school are running events for kids to say that British culture is inferior. It sounds juicy, but it's like that story from the US that a teenager decided to identify as a cat and they had to get him a litter tray. Just not happening.

I didn't really get the second paragraph, I haven't seen anyone saying that we can't identify with different types of people.

[JamesWales]

To reference something you often do, this is the sort of thing that drives people towards Tommy Robinson. The idea that British teachers in a British school are running events for kids to say that British culture is inferior. It sounds juicy, but it's like that story from the US that a teenager decided to identify as a cat and they had to get him a litter tray. Just not happening.

I didn't really get the second paragraph, I haven't seen anyone saying that we can't identify with different types of people.

Thanks for that. I don't often do it actually but as stated the school "apologized profusely" so clearly something was up. You seem to be more angry at it being reported than it happening and learning from it.

Second paragraph refers to the reference to people needing people who look like them to aspire to something. I don't disagree in being representative, of class, accent, background, race, religion. It all matters, but it also implies one cannot be inspired or seek commonalities with those that look different. We can. We need to break down differences, not entrench them. I think we have gone backwards and have been doing so for a couple of decades

[lardy]

Thanks for that. I don't often do it actually but as stated the school "apologized profusely" so clearly something was up. You seem to be more angry at it being reported than it happening and learning from it.

You've said it in post 14, 17 and 40 of this thread Another trope of yours is to accuse others of becoming angry - how am I angry about the school learning from it, when in the thread I said "All schools can learn from how this was set up and executed." and you agreed?

Second paragraph refers to the reference to people needing people who look like them to aspire to something. I don't disagree in being representative, of class, accent, background, race, religion. It all matters, but it also implies one cannot be inspired or seek commonalities with those that look different. We can. We need to break down differences, not entrench them. I think we have gone backwards and have been doing so for a couple of decades

Isn't a celebration of other cultures event at school a good idea for that, then?

[JamesWales]

You've said it in post 14, 17 and 40 of this thread Another trope of yours is to accuse others of becoming angry - how am I angry about the school learning from it, when in the thread I said "All schools can learn from how this was set up and executed." and you agreed?





Isn't a celebration of other cultures event at school a good idea for that, then?

Ha, yeah, mentioned it in this thread! Doesn't mean I make a habit of it? Wasn't me who bought up Tommy Robinson. Wasn't me who bought up the Nazi Party either. I look forward to you chastising that person as it's hard to think of anything less relevant or obscene to the conversation.

But yeah, mentioned it in this thread, but I had a conversation about raspberry yoghurts last night. Probably mentioned raspberry yoghurts five times in three minutes, but that doesn't mean it's "something I often do".

Believe me, I think talk of Tommy Robinson, Nazis, fascists and the like is waaaaay overblown on here and very rarely relevant. I do have an understanding of what pushes people in that direction though, and a kind of "fingers in ears" approach to things is definitely part of it.

As for your second point; yeah, as an event for people to talk about culture and family heritage, sure, great event. But it clearly didn't happen that way, as evidenced by the schools pretty profound apology, which is the entire reason this became a news item! Had it celebrated all cultures and been handled better then I am sure we wouldn't be talking about it, and we would be talking about something else entirely different such as raspberry yoghurts for example.

We all agree it was handled badly, so I must say I am not entirely sure what your motivation is now?

[lardy]

Hope you're not getting angry...

[JamesWales]

Hope you're not getting angry...

Sometimes a touch exasperated, but definitely not angry. If ever that happens, I just think about raspberry yoghurts.

I hope you aren't either 👍

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Sometimes a touch exasperated, but definitely not angry. If ever that happens, I just think about raspberry yoghurts.

I hope you aren't either 👍

The nazis in this thread are Tommy Robinson and The Voice Of Wales idiots who quite by coincidence honestly government set up the crowd funding page

If they are not to be mentioned when it was reported in the initial press release that these vermin were involved then you are singing to yourself sonny

I know you dont like to be thought of in the same breath but I am afraid when you jump to the defence of people on the right of British politics I am afraid its these sort of fools that crop up

You cant dance around the edge of people like this , they are racists

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Ha, yeah, mentioned it in this thread! Doesn't mean I make a habit of it? Wasn't me who bought up Tommy Robinson. Wasn't me who bought up the Nazi Party either. I look forward to you chastising that person as it's hard to think of anything less relevant or obscene to the conversation.

But yeah, mentioned it in this thread, but I had a conversation about raspberry yoghurts last night. Probably mentioned raspberry yoghurts five times in three minutes, but that doesn't mean it's "something I often do".

Believe me, I think talk of Tommy Robinson, Nazis, fascists and the like is waaaaay overblown on here and very rarely relevant. I do have an understanding of what pushes people in that direction though, and a kind of "fingers in ears" approach to things is definitely part of it.

As for your second point; yeah, as an event for people to talk about culture and family heritage, sure, great event. But it clearly didn't happen that way, as evidenced by the schools pretty profound apology, which is the entire reason this became a news item! Had it celebrated all cultures and been handled better then I am sure we wouldn't be talking about it, and we would be talking about something else entirely different such as raspberry yoghurts for example.

We all agree it was handled badly, so I must say I am not entirely sure what your motivation is now?

Voice Of Wales who arranged crowd funding for this kid and her dress are neo nazis

They havnt just been plucked out of obscurity and appeared like magic

Its well known what they do and it is they who got involved here

How is criticism of them obscene ?

I find your continual skirting around the edge of right wing politics and defending the usual suspects pretty obscene

[Heathblue]

Voice Of Wales who arranged crowd funding for this kid and her dress are neo nazis

They havnt just been plucked out of obscurity and appeared like magic

Its well known what they do and it is they who got involved here

How is criticism of them obscene ?

I find your continual skirting around the edge of right wing politics and defending the usual suspects pretty obscene

A skirting salad