Or is it more like putting Dracula in
charge of the Blood Bank? (My aunty Vi used to work for the blood bank, I mean
the real blood bank not the analogy we’re on at the moment. Sorry if I spoiled
it for you because you didn’t realise that I am actually talking about Gove’s
crazy, nasty, bonkers idea of putting David Ross in charge of OFSTED).
Yes – Gove wants David Ross the Carphone
Warehouse tycoon who moreover is involved with a chain of academies, to be in
charge of inspecting state schools. Ross is - surprise - surprise a big Tory
donor – or not surprise if you occasionally take note of what is happening in
Britain. The impressive Ross CV includes being a tax exile and strange dealings
with a prostitute. Nice!
I need someone to explain to me why our
rulers are getting away with SO many barmy ideas. We have at our fingertips endless
facts, figures, statistics, examples as warnings. Never at any time
in human history has more easy data been available. If you really don’t want to rely on common sense (and nobody
seems to want to) we could just look up -
‘is
it a good idea to employ rich (unpleasant) people on projects when they have
vested contrary interests?’ or some such wording.
Click ‘enter’ and see what comes up.
We’re not just not learning the important
lessons (sorry for the double negative but it felt like the best way to say
it). We seem to be actively pouring hot wax in our earholes, chanting la la la
and striding ever onwards with hands over eyes, into cavernous vats of shit.
So if I climbed a mountain (not the iconic
Blencathra obviously because that bit of the Lake District has been sold off) and
screamed at the top of my lungs,
‘the point of OFSTED was supposed to be
independence and neutrality,’
would anyone listen? Would anyone care? Or
would the echo just ricochet back and knock me over on my bum.
It is holiday time up here in Scotland so
this will be another brief blog but if you are cool with the idea of putting
Dave Ross in charge of schools chew on this -
Davros did not start out as ruler of the
Daleks. He began as chief scientist of the Kaleds (one of two races [the Thals
being the other] locked in battle on planet Skaro). Following nuclear and
biological contamination, the Kaleds mutated, becoming malformed and weak.
Davros ‘strengthened’ them by removing any tendencies of compassion and placing
their feeble manifestations inside metal structures. These became the Daleks.
Davros arranged for the destruction of his own race and then got the Daleks to
destroy the Thals.
Davros’ real eyes are closed – and he sees
out of a robotic eye in his forehead unlike Gove whose mouth is always on the go
but who still seems to talk out of his arse.
This week’s recommended blog from the
archives;
Blog 18 Elitism for All