Wearing Poppies - A serious question

[Huguenot]

I do think I'm being reasonable.

I've just reread the thread and can't see anything I've said that's unreasonable.

Meanwhile, BB100 has taken the perfectly insignificamt and worthwhile enterprise of a school Remembrance Day ceremony and equated it with brainwashing and child abuse, and DaveR is furious with me because he incorrectly thinks I want to force people to wear poppies with threats of violence. He does this without reading my posts so I have to keep repeating them.

[????]

...oh the irony

[Mick Mac]

I think if a child defies school policy to wear a poppy he should get detention, and to spend that time learning extra German.

Unless the kid is a plastic paddy, in which case he is excused. Naturally.

[Santerme]

Having lost friends and comrades over 23 years of service, I wear my poppy as a mark of respect...

I also wear it as a message to younger generations that the freedoms we take so easily for granted carry a price.

A price paid by strangers for strangers, who gave there all so we could make choices in life.....good or bad.

It is also a recognition to the many heroic men and women whose actions went unsung.

To those who have served it is that complicated and that simple.

I could not care less if this child decides to make a stand against his school's rules....

The fact he can is based on the actions of others lost in the mists of time.

They deserve a moments thought and respect because they were mostly very ordinary people in real life thrust into extraordinary circumstances not of their own making.

[acm]

.

[Huguenot]

That's right acm, and asking children to wear poppies to a remembrance service where they can discuss and explore its meaning is part of the process "to educate our children so they can make informed decisions" when they are adults.

As you've seen in the comments above, events like these are often used as opportunities by people who don't give a shit about the sacrifices of others to use children as proxies in an infantile attack on authority.

That in itself is a tragedy.

I share your sadness with the daily deaths of individuals on national service.

[Marmora Man]

I share your sadness with the daily deaths of individuals on national service

Semantic or pedantics - National Service refers to conscripted military personnel. Every British serviceman in Afghanistan is a volunteer, which adds a further dimension to the sadness of their deaths and suffering.

[StraferJack]

Shame on you H - you're the one scoring cheap points

[reggie]

This poster caught my eye for several reasons

http://www.thesuburbanpirate.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ImageGen.aspx_.jpeg

http://www.thesuburbanpirate.com/wordpress/?p=965

[BB100]

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Meanwhile, BB100 has taken the perfectly

> insignificamt and worthwhile enterprise of a

> school Remembrance Day ceremony and equated it

> with brainwashing and child abuse,

I'm so glad you've been able to continue this discussion without me. Hugh it was you who mentioned ''They don't have adult rights for good reason'' and I merely pointed out that yes they do, they have extra rights because of adult abuses. So you are twisting my words again.

Anyway I asked my nephew if any other children didn't wear their poppy. He said lots of children didn't, they just kept it in their pocket to whip out if confronted by a teacher - that says it all really.

[Huguenot]

That shows you kids behaving like kids, that's why we don't treat them as adults.

It's a part of the learning process to recognise that the poppy that has meaning and importance to other people that can involve changing our behaviour in respect of their views.

Everyone's a winner here BB100

[BB100]

Exactly Hugh. It demonstrates how making children wear one means diddly squat. Using force doesn't win hearts and minds. ;)

[Huguenot]

I think it's safe to say that you've entirely missed the point. No better reason to ensure that you don't get too involved in education. :))

Have you not realised yet that the exercise in wearing poppies has nothing to do with wearing poppies? The lesson is not about forcing people to respect the dead?

[BB100]

How do you know what the point is? I suspect the wearing of poppies was more about the school's image to the local community than for any educational value.

[El Pibe]

Gosh, is it cynical wednesday or something?

Given that most of us feel that society has become too selfish and preoccupied with rights rather than responsibilities, I'd have thought an educational opportunity to reflect on how fortunate our generations are, thanks to the sacrifices of previous generations, would be applauded.

Instead we indulge our childrens' immature, solipsistic instincts as some sort of healthy questioning of authority and write the whole thing off as a PR stunt.

Weird frankly.

[BB100]

If it wasn't then why were teachers checking poppies on the way OUT of the school gate? Since you know neither the children or the school I don't see how you can judge, and my question was never about whether they should but about whether they could.

[Huguenot]

BB100, all that inexperienced and uninformed cynicism reveals is that you shouldn't be anywhere near kids, let alone your nephew.

[BB100]

Oh Hugh can you let me know what it's like up at your glass ceiling?

[Huguenot]

The irony is that you don't see 'how you can judge', but that's exactly what you are doing.

The problem is that you aren't familiar with education, your views are seriously tainted by a virulent anti-authority streak, you credit children with adult experience and judgement, and you have an unhealthy egotistical tendency which causes you to elevate 'rights' over 'responsibilities'.

All of these combine to a great flashing warning light that reads 'DO NOT GET INOLVED IN EDUCATION'.

[BB100]

The problem is you keep jumping to conclusions as I am familiar with education, however, I don't work in secondary schools where there are obviously still people like you that insist their values and beliefs are the only way. Your days in education are over Hugh and it's you that's out of touch.

[katie1997]

*knocks on imposing door with a large, brightly polished brass sign with the words 'The Chair' engraved neatly upon it*

*scribbles on some handy ivory coloured parchment 'Please help put a stop to 'touched you last' comments in the fine old Drawing Room. Its worse than the tatty Lounge these days. Thank you.' Shoves under aforementioned door*

[BB100]

Katie, I've just read your message. Don't worry however amusing it was to annoy an old great I'm through now.

[The Chair]

Katie - thank you for your message.

I think this one has run its course now. Ladies, gentlemen, cease and desist. Move along. Nothing to see here.

[Lynne]

Can we get back to facts?

Which school imposed the poppy rule?

You see, I don't think that this can be done and I'd be mildly surprised if any school had. There may have been some pressure from particular teachers/older pupils, but I don't think it could be mandatory so I would like someone to quote me chapter and verse,

Lynne

[Huguenot]

Oh come on Lynne - what's your beef?

Are you going to go round there and tell them what's what? Tell them that they have no right to set school rules, that you know better, that kids can do what they want, that if you were in charge it would be a better school?

What's next? You going to set the law on them? Sue them? Push burgers through the fence?