Free Speech and Trial By Jury
I'm fed up of not being allowed to argue with rude teachers. Earlier this week I walked into my maths class late. This was ok, as I had an reason, I was in a rehersal for some piece obne of the groups I'm in is playing next week. We had a cover teacher, and I told him that I had been to a rehersal and that I was sorry for being late. Now, the usual response I get is: "OK, sit down, here's the work you need to be doing." But no. This man spends about ten seconds thinking and then says:
"Evidently it wasn't a rehersal for getting here on time." Now that's just plain offensive. Not only that, it took him a while to think of it. I wanted to tell him that actually I was at a rehersal for a piece of music and that I objected to that sort of treatment, but decided against it, and here's why.
If you say something that a teacher thinnks is out of line, especially the strict ones, like the man in my maths lesson, you're liable to get punished. Now, this wrong on two levels. First of all it contravenes the principle of free speech, I should be allowed to say what I like for all sorts of reasons that I won't go into now. But secondly it's actually illegal. The government acccords me certain rights, and one of those rights is the right to freedom of speech. This right is being oppressed by schools everywhere, and so is another:
The right to Trial By Jury. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, you can be punished without evidence. Not only that, the punishment is erratic, with one teacher, you may get away with something, with another, straight into a double detention. And while it may not be the worst of punishments, it is once again against the principles and the laws that govern this country.
On a lighter note, I'm now owed three sachets of sugar, all because someone at DYO thought I couldn't play the piano at all, and that I didn't remember debts, and now I've started charging interest, one sachet for every week he fails to pay, I stand to get a lot of sugar.
Expect more on rights and their oppression at school in the future, and Democracy and Freedom and Peace and stuff like that.
Be Seeing You
"Evidently it wasn't a rehersal for getting here on time." Now that's just plain offensive. Not only that, it took him a while to think of it. I wanted to tell him that actually I was at a rehersal for a piece of music and that I objected to that sort of treatment, but decided against it, and here's why.
If you say something that a teacher thinnks is out of line, especially the strict ones, like the man in my maths lesson, you're liable to get punished. Now, this wrong on two levels. First of all it contravenes the principle of free speech, I should be allowed to say what I like for all sorts of reasons that I won't go into now. But secondly it's actually illegal. The government acccords me certain rights, and one of those rights is the right to freedom of speech. This right is being oppressed by schools everywhere, and so is another:
The right to Trial By Jury. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, you can be punished without evidence. Not only that, the punishment is erratic, with one teacher, you may get away with something, with another, straight into a double detention. And while it may not be the worst of punishments, it is once again against the principles and the laws that govern this country.
On a lighter note, I'm now owed three sachets of sugar, all because someone at DYO thought I couldn't play the piano at all, and that I didn't remember debts, and now I've started charging interest, one sachet for every week he fails to pay, I stand to get a lot of sugar.
Expect more on rights and their oppression at school in the future, and Democracy and Freedom and Peace and stuff like that.
Be Seeing You
posted by CJM | 8:19 PM
3 Comments:
Hurrah stand up for your rights! Although actually, because of this government we live under, we don't have an entrenched Bill of Rights, only the European Human Rights Act, which can be repealed at any moment as it isn't an Act of Parliament. AND Britain didn't sign up to all of it- that's why the Terrorism Act was allowed. Grrr....
Who says they're superior? Anyway, that doesn't give them the right to be rude. And some parents beat their childeren, is that ok?
OMG! CHRIS!!! Take what you said on Derren Brown's blog off this minute! I was only having a laugh when I said I wanted to get off with him! Remove the last comment you made about the "obsessiveness" this minute! it's not fair! :(
He'll think I'm after him or something when I'm REALLY not!
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