Times have changed for the teaching profession (Image: Getty)
Who’d be a teacher these days? There was a time when teaching was a most honourable profession: what could be more important than shaping and educating the minds of the future? But times have certainly changed since then: a new survey has revealed that one in seven teachers have faced allegations from pupils or their parents in the last year. And many of them have been “vexatious” according to Edapt, which carried out the poll, and can seriously damage careers.
It’s all part of the trend which has seen power shift from adults to children. Until extremely recently it was accepted that children were vulnerable and ought to be looked after, but that they also had no life experience nor accrued wisdom and so on the whole should do as they’re told. Not any more. These days the focus is entirely upon the little darlings: if they’re at
all unhappy, then something should be done about it. And if a teacher tells them off, how very dare they? Don’t they know it’s all about them?
We’re building a generation of entitled brats and the proof is in the current lot inhabiting our university campuses. They were the first to be brought up to believe that it was all about them, and the result of this is cancel culture, with hysterical denunciations of anyone they don’t actually agree with. You have a different opinion from me? You must be evil or mad. And so people become ever more cossetted and small minded and goodness knows how this is going to manifest itself once they get into real positions of power within the community. Spare the rod and spoil the future generation for life.
The worst offenders, of course, are the parents. It was once accepted that the teacher had complete authority and any challenge to this was routinely dismissed. Perhaps this led to a few bad ’uns getting through, and no one is defending that, but if you are going to entrust someone with forming the next generation, then you must treat them with respect. Yet so often these days we hear about parents threatening their children’s teacher merely for attempting to stop some bad behaviour or keep control of a class. Well, it’s gone too far and it’s time for teachers to make a stand. They should be given the full state backing to discipline and exclude children who are disrupting the others, while parents guilty of vexatious behaviour should at the very least be heavily fined.
A good teacher can change a person’s life, as I know from personal experience, while a bad pupil can ruin someone. It’s time to put the balance of power back where it belongs.
Welcome back, Andrew (Image: Official Charts Company/PA Wire)
■As usual at this time of the year we are having to endure the mawkish background music of Last Christmas.
However, one very welcome development is the re-emergence of Andrew Ridgeley, who’s been seen more in the last few years than he has been for decades.
Someone in the know told me that it was Andrew who was the reason for the break-up of Wham! because he was sick to death of being told how lucky he was to ride on the coattails of the talent of George Michael. It’s true that Yog, as his friends called him, was the major musical maestro in that duo, but Andrew was the motivated one who got it all going in the first place. Without him there would have been no Wham!.
Welcome back, Andrew, and this time please stay a bit longer.
Thank God for season of good Will
It is often asked what the monarchy is good for: actually, the answer could fill this paper. But here’s one example: Prince William looking every inch the future monarch when greeting President Elect Trump in Paris at the reopening of Notre Dame.
This lousy, pathetic incompetent Labour government has managed to antagonise not only The Donald, but Elon Musk, the two most powerful men in the world. Thank goodness there are a few Windsors on hand to clear up the mess.
The Princess of Wales is returning to public life (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
Catherine casts her ray of light
Every day the news just seems to get worse and worse but there is at least one light on the horizon: the Princess of Wales is returning to public life. Catherine is on track to become not just one of our best loved public figures, but in due course, one of our best loved queens.
Her good humour, dignity and sense of duty have been evident since she married William and the way she has coped with serious illness is awe-inspiring. And all in very sharp contrast with you know who.
■I opened my inbox on Monday morning to find a warning from one medic about the damage prosecco can do to your teeth and another about the damage Champagne can do to your eyes. These killjoys really know how to cheer you up in the festive season, do they not?
■Much grief about the fact that the ghastly Mishal Husain is leaving the BBC. But should anyone be surprised? Mishal is 51 and the Beeb’s record with middle aged women is abominable.
How ironic if their prejudice provoked a departure that will damage their reputation even more.
Mishal Husain is leaving the BBC (Image: Jeff Overs/BBC via Getty Images)
Sweet smell of security success
There was a kerfuffle this week in the most unlikely of places, Fortnum & Mason, when three (alleged) female shoplifters were stopped by security guards when they tried to make off with bottles of scent.
Well done those guards. Shoplifting is out of control in Britain and the authorities don’t seem to be doing a great deal about it. It’s an illustration, though, that if officials don’t act, people will take matters into their own hands and that could be a great deal more serious than stopping shoplifting. You have been warned.
Don’t miss out on the sprout
A new study has said that six per cent of the country hates Brussels sprouts: they don’t know what they’re missing. I love them: my mother used to cook them in butter and water which turned them perfectly crispy. I often have them for lunch with tuna mayonnaise. So sue me! It takes all tastes.
