UK only please) What political education did you receive while at school?

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**Avatar 720**

We started getting some sort of PSHE around the end of High School, but it only consisted of putting condoms of fake willies (and having the troublemakers in the class start making balloons out of them) and watching those crap animated videos about sex.

That's all it ever touched upon, and even then it was all kinds of pointless. The teacher couldn't give a damn, the students couldn't give a damn, and it was just a 1hr lesson every whenever that went to waste.

**Soladrin**

Nada, we got no such thing AFAIK.

**purplefood**

We got citizenship or something like that.
Did a reasonable job but I can't say I was paying much attention.

**Khornholio**

Howard A Treesong wrote:
Paradigm wrote:
Howard A Treesong wrote:
I had no such education in politics but I think a lot of children in very event times now do classes in 'health and social development' or some such description that deal a lot in teaching understanding and tolerance of different groups and various issues. I imagine some politics is included there, or easily could be.

It could be, but in my experience those lessons were spent either dithering about with pointless rubbish, or watching films. I know no one who ever took it seriously, mainly because even the teachers didn't.

I'm not sure how old you are, but when I was young we had PSHE in tutor time which was pretty poor. In the last school I was working at as an adult going into teaching, Citizenship classes were specifically timetabled with dedicated staff.

Dedicated staff or State paid Commissars?

I have to echo my agreement with a previous post that the kids should get the literature, read it for themselves, look in to it for themselves and make a decision for themselves. The whole EU is wonderful thing is obviously slanted as there appears to be, I don't know for sure as I am not on the ground and at the pub in the UK any longer, some people who totally disagree. In the Dominion of Canada at one time, government policy was being taught as Canadian culture. If you could get through the doublespeak, you understood that it should be the other way around. But, hey, as long as everyone is comfortable, who cares? Right?

**Hordini**

So you guys aren't required to take a government course or anything like that prior to or concurrent with A levels?

At my school we had to take at least one semester of government and one semester of economics in high school, and I was under the impression that was a state requirement.

**Compel**

Being from Scotland, we didn't have anything like that. My school certainly didn't even have any A Level equivalents based around politics.

Maybe someone gave a talk once on how to vote or something? I don't remember it if they did, anyhow.

**Hordini**

Compel wrote:
Being from Scotland, we didn't have anything like that. My school certainly didn't even have any A Level equivalents based around politics.

Maybe someone gave a talk once on how to vote or something? I don't remember it if they did, anyhow.

That's interesting. I actually find that rather surprising.

**Compel**

I suppose some elements of it might have been covered in Standard Grade or Higher History, however I took Geography instead.

**Hordini**

Compel wrote:
I suppose some elements of it might have been covered in Standard Grade or Higher History, however I took Geography instead.

That would make sense that it could be covered in other courses. Were I went to school, we were actually required to have one year of geography and world history, one year of American history, and one year (one semester each) of government and economics. Interesting that you were able to take some over others though.

**Compel**

Back at School (in the 90's), it was structured in 6 years

1st-2nd year: French, Maths, History, Geography, Computing, English, Classical Studies (or Latin), Science

3rd-4th Year: Standard Grades: 6-8 classes, including minimum 1 language (French, German, Spanish), 1 Social Science (History or Geography), Maths, English, minimum 1 science (Biology, Physics, Chemistry). - Some other options too (EG Computing, Business Studies, Accounting+Finance, Latin)

I went with French, German, Geography, Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry. That left 1 slot over for semi random classes that weren't Standard Grades, eg lessons in typing, photography, 'study skills'

5th Year: Highers: Various options depending on what you did well in standard grades. If you did poorly in a standard grade, you could take what was called 'Intermediate-2s" which was basically a Standard Grade all over again, but condensed to 1 year with a little bit extra material. Instead I took Highers (broadly equivalent to A-Levels), in Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Geography, English

6th Year: Advanced Highers: An optional year. Some people split their highers over two years, others could take an Advanced Highers. Other options were available but in general, this year was designed to have more freedom to it, with 2-3 free periods a day, as opposed to 1 a week.
In this year, I took 3 classes, Advanced Highers in Physics and Chemistry and I also took what was called a 'Crash Higher' in Biology. - In other words, jumping into a 'higher' course, with no previous experience.

Usually a school had an essential requirement to give classes on 'Religious Education' covering a wide range of religions. Somehow my school managed to dodge this requirement by 'including religious teachings from a wide variety of sources in our morning assemblies.'

But yeah, over all that, nothing really about politics at all.

**Albatross**

Deadshot wrote:
Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

If you think your school bears any resemblance to the horrors of Nazi Germany, I would suggest that you pay more attention in History. And maybe grow up a little.

**Hordini**

Deadshot wrote:
Covered the basics in History in relation to Marxism, Lenin's Russia and Cold War, along with early 20th Century Ireland and Britain
My school is naturally right wing slanted, with unspecified censorship towards social media and criticising the policies and such. Speaking to friends or families on Twitter for example (a private twitter conversation at that) is serverly punished, and was done last year to a friend of mine because one teacher was being a douche and he moaned on Facebook on his own page. Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

You have, quite literally, no idea what you are talking about.

**Deadshot**

Albatross wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

If you think your school bears any resemblance to the horrors of Nazi Germany, I would suggest that you pay more attention in History. And maybe grow up a bit.

*Removed*. Because quite frankly, it is akin to Nazi Germany. Or more specifically the Hitler Youth. Daily assemblies to reaffirm our commitment, giving us ideas of loyalty and dedication to the bullgak school and immediate censorship of anyone who would dare speak out.

Edit: Aplogies for my aggressiveness.

**jhe90**

Next to none, but I'd not trust most schools to do anything right.
+ teachers are already strugling to do all they have to fit in as it is.

**Deadshot**

Hordini wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Covered the basics in History in relation to Marxism, Lenin's Russia and Cold War, along with early 20th Century Ireland and Britain
My school is naturally right wing slanted, with unspecified censorship towards social media and criticising the policies and such. Speaking to friends or families on Twitter for example (a private twitter conversation at that) is serverly punished, and was done last year to a friend of mine because one teacher was being a douche and he moaned on Facebook on his own page. Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

You have, quite literally, no idea what you are talking about.

Really?

**Mr Morden**

None that I recall we did sepnd intermable tears on the Third World - sometimes repeating the things we had already done in previous year but then we were the experimental first year of GCSE's :(

**Hordini**

Deadshot wrote:
Hordini wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Covered the basics in History in relation to Marxism, Lenin's Russia and Cold War, along with early 20th Century Ireland and Britain
My school is naturally right wing slanted, with unspecified censorship towards social media and criticising the policies and such. Speaking to friends or families on Twitter for example (a private twitter conversation at that) is serverly punished, and was done last year to a friend of mine because one teacher was being a douche and he moaned on Facebook on his own page. Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

You have, quite literally, no idea what you are talking about.

Really?

Yes, really. If you're seriously comparing a school in the UK in 2014 to anything in Germany in the 1930s-1940s, you are wrong. And to be honest, it's pretty disrespectful to anyone who actually lived and suffered in the UK or in Germany during the Third Reich.

**Da Boss**

Any politics class should really just be about the structure of the system and the various responsibilities and powers within it, with an overview of how to vote and how taxation and so on works.

Value judgements are not appropriate. From teaching in the UK, I figure it would be politically compromised pretty quickly.

As an example, I am pro-Nuclear power, and so is the UK government. However when teaching energy sources, I found that there was really very little coverage of the controversies or problems with nuclear power, the whole thing was slanted to a pro-nuclear stance. Even though that suited my biases, I could see it and it made me uncomfortable. To an extent I would find that even worse with a politics course because a lot of it actually is quite subjective.

**Hordini**

Da Boss wrote:
Any politics class should really just be about the structure of the system and the various responsibilities and powers within it, with an overview of how to vote and how taxation and so on works.

Value judgements are not appropriate. From teaching in the UK, I figure it would be politically compromised pretty quickly.

That's really interesting that you'd think it would be compromised so quickly in the UK. In my government course, which was taken in a relatively poor rural public high school, I thought it was quite even-handed. To this day, I couldn't confidently tell you whether my government teacher was a Republican or Democrat.

**George Spiggott**

Da Boss wrote:
Any politics class should really just be about the structure of the system and the various responsibilities and powers within it, with an overview of how to vote and how taxation and so on works.

This is all well and good but I suspect that there's a reason there's no interest in explaining how exactly how FPTP voting works or the purpose of an unelected House of Lords.

**Albatross**

Mr Morden wrote:
None that I recall we did sepnd intermable tears on the Third World

An interesting Freudian slip...

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Deadshot wrote:
Albatross wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

If you think your school bears any resemblance to the horrors of Nazi Germany, I would suggest that you pay more attention in History. And maybe grow up a bit.

*Removed*. Because quite frankly, it is akin to Nazi Germany. Or more specifically the Hitler Youth. Daily assemblies to reaffirm our commitment, giving us ideas of loyalty and dedication to the bullgak school and immediate censorship of anyone who would dare speak out.

Grow up, mate. You're receiving an education (and, therefore, a start at life) that is the envy of huge swathes of the world and you're behaving like an entitled brat. I have met both holocaust survivors and WWII veterans who would probably think you both monstrously ungrateful and grossly misinformed.

However, I prefer the term 'teenager'. It's snappier.

**Deadshot**

Albatross wrote:
Mr Morden wrote:
None that I recall we did sepnd intermable tears on the Third World

An interesting Freudian slip...

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Deadshot wrote:
Albatross wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

If you think your school bears any resemblance to the horrors of Nazi Germany, I would suggest that you pay more attention in History. And maybe grow up a bit.

*Removed*. Because quite frankly, it is akin to Nazi Germany. Or more specifically the Hitler Youth. Daily assemblies to reaffirm our commitment, giving us ideas of loyalty and dedication to the bullgak school and immediate censorship of anyone who would dare speak out.

Grow up, mate. You're receiving an education (and, therefore, a start at life) that is the envy of huge swathes of the world and you're behaving like an entitled brat. I have met both holocaust survivors and WWII veterans who would probably think you both monstrously ungrateful and grossly misinformed.

However, I prefer the term 'teenager'. It's snappier.

Ha. An education is meaningless if educated not put to use or useless to the chosen career path. Plus, quite frankly, even a degree is no guarentee of employment and living off state benefits can get you more money than an honest job in this country.
Entitled? Nay sir. I hate the concept of entitlement. I make no allusions that I deserve or am entitled to anything. I strongly believe that like everyone else my existence is utterly worthless. Furthermore, I see no mention in my posts that I deserve or am entitled to anything. Simply a factual comparison, which should you be a member of my school you might actually come to realise is accurate. Plus, freedom of speech would be nice, all I'm saying.

If you believe me misinformed, feel free. I have studied Nazi Germany for nearing 9 years, and I enjoy History above other subjects. Its simply incredibly easy to find similarities.

**Ketara**

Deadshot wrote:

Ha. An education is meaningless if educated not put to use or useless to the chosen career path. Plus, quite frankly, even a degree is no guarentee of employment and living off state benefits can get you more money than an honest job in this country.
Entitled? Nay sir. I hate the concept of entitlement. I make no allusions that I deserve or am entitled to anything. I strongly believe that like everyone else my existence is utterly worthless. Furthermore, I see no mention in my posts that I deserve or am entitled to anything. Simply a factual comparison, which should you be a member of my school you might actually come to realise is accurate. Plus, freedom of speech would be nice, all I'm saying.

If you believe me misinformed, feel free. I have studied Nazi Germany for nearing 9 years, and I enjoy History above other subjects. Its simply incredibly easy to find similarities.

I'm going to do my best not to patronise you, because you're clearly old enough to discuss these things, and intelligent enough to write well. You also sound a bit like me at fifteen years old, and if there's one thing that cements a teenager in their position, it's treating them like idiots.

In a nutshell, most of what you've written above is quite immature/inaccurate/hyperbole on several levels, for several reasons. I don't use the word immature as an insult, rather in the sense that you and your ideas of the world are still 'maturing', or growing. You haven't been a properly cognitive individual for very long, a couple of years at best assuming you're under nineteen, and you've still got a lot to experience and learn.

Albatross is a bit...brusque at times, but he's working from a perspective and position of knowledge a few decades beyond yours. That doesn't necessarily make him right (age is no guarantor of wisdom), but he's an intelligent bloke. If he thinks you're talking a load of old cobblers, he probably has a reason for that.

And Albatross? Play nice.

Take the time to explain why you think the chap is wrong.

**Albatross**

Deadshot wrote:
Albatross wrote:
Mr Morden wrote:
None that I recall we did sepnd intermable tears on the Third World

An interesting Freudian slip...

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Deadshot wrote:
Albatross wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

If you think your school bears any resemblance to the horrors of Nazi Germany, I would suggest that you pay more attention in History. And maybe grow up a bit.

*Removed*. Because quite frankly, it is akin to Nazi Germany. Or more specifically the Hitler Youth. Daily assemblies to reaffirm our commitment, giving us ideas of loyalty and dedication to the bullgak school and immediate censorship of anyone who would dare speak out.

Grow up, mate. You're receiving an education (and, therefore, a start at life) that is the envy of huge swathes of the world and you're behaving like an entitled brat. I have met both holocaust survivors and WWII veterans who would probably think you both monstrously ungrateful and grossly misinformed.

However, I prefer the term 'teenager'. It's snappier.

Ha. An education is meaningless if educated not put to use or useless to the chosen career path.

Right. That's exactly my point. You're speaking from the POV of a generation paralysed by ennui because every opportunity has been handed to you. There are people living in rural sub-saharan Africa that would literally kill you to take your place in school, in all probability, as an education could mean a ticket out of poverty and starvation. An education is an opportunity to better yourself and your family. Why would you not seize that as if your life and well-being depends on it? It does, more or less.

Plus, quite frankly, even a degree is no guarentee of employment and living off state benefits can get you more money than an honest job in this country.
Entitled? Nay sir. I hate the concept of entitlement. I make no allusions that I deserve or am entitled to anything. I strongly believe that like everyone else my existence is utterly worthless.

Yep, ennui. You are paralysed by satiety. Your every basic human need (and in all likelihood, a lot of not-so-basic needs) is taken care of so you have mental space to look at your life and question these things that you have been handed, simply by virtue of being (presumably) born in the United Kingdom. Being handed a world-class education and complaining that having to obey school procedures is akin to the horrors of the Third Reich smacks of entitlement. You sound spoilt.

Furthermore, I see no mention in my posts that I deserve or am entitled to anything. Simply a factual comparison, which should you be a member of my school you might actually come to realise is accurate. Plus, freedom of speech would be nice, all I'm saying.

You have that, within the boundaries set by the Mod team. So do I. Which is why you don't have protection from my opinion, provided I adhere to the rules. Which I feel I am doing.

If you believe me misinformed, feel free. I have studied Nazi Germany for nearing 9 years, and I enjoy History above other subjects. Its simply incredibly easy to find similarities.

Yes, if you reduce to absurdity. Your school has a code of conduct and rules which students must obey. The Nazi party had rules that the German people and occupied countries had to obey, therefore the two are similar. What your school is missing is genocide, gas chambers, forced labour, mass murder and rape, racial segregation and the deaths of millions of people in the bloodiest war the world has yet seen. If you feel you are being unfairly treated, you should speak to your parents and complain through the official channels - complaining that your school is like Nazi Germany because teachers expect you to obey rules just makes you look like a silly little boy, frankly. I have to believe you are better than that. Think of this as tough love.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ketara wrote:

Albatross is a bit...brusque at times, but he's working from a perspective and position of knowledge a few decades beyond yours. That doesn't necessarily make him right (age is no guarantor of wisdom), but he's an intelligent bloke. If he thinks you're talking a load of old cobblers, he probably has a reason for that.

And Albatross? Play nice.
Take the time to explain why you think the chap is wrong.

Why should I? I'm an 'intelligent bloke'. My time is precious.

Incidentally, I hate that. Please don't do that. I find it patronising. I know that I have intelligence. I am a grown man who means exactly what he says and knows exactly what he means. I don't need to be told to 'play nice', thank you very much.

Meh, maybe I'm being oversensitive. I'm kind of hungover.

**Ketara**

Albatross wrote:
You are paralysed by satiety.

I've learnt a new word today. I'd heard of 'satiation' and 'satiating', but not 'satiety'.

Why should I? I'm an 'intelligent bloke'. My time is precious.

Incidentally, I hate that. Please don't do that. I find it patronising. I know that I have intelligence. I am a grown man who means exactly what he says and knows exactly what he means. I don't need to be told to 'play nice', thank you very much.

Meh, maybe I'm being oversensitive. I'm kind of hungover.

No offence intended. But you came across as arbitrarily slapping somebody down without taking the time to explain exactly 'why' the other fellow was wrong. Which isn't really conducive to a good discussion.

The 'intelligent bloke' comment was intended for Deadshot, as this is the internet, and he might not have come across you on the forums before; as such, telling him that your opinion is one worth listening to might make him actually listen to you. Otherwise, he's more likely to just ignore you as, 'some random bloke being rude to me on the internet'.

**Albatross**

Ketara wrote:

No offence intended. But you came across as arbitrarily slapping somebody down without taking the time to explain exactly 'why' the other fellow was wrong. Which isn't really conducive to a good discussion.

The 'intelligent bloke' comment was intended for Deadshot, as this is the internet, and he might not have come across you on the forums before; as such, telling him that your opinion is one worth listening to might make him actually listen to you. Otherwise, he's more likely to just ignore you as, 'some random bloke being rude to me on the internet'.

Cool, fair enough. All's well, matey.

**Deadshot**

Albatross wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Albatross wrote:
Mr Morden wrote:
None that I recall we did sepnd intermable tears on the Third World

An interesting Freudian slip...

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Deadshot wrote:
Albatross wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Its practically Nazi Germany v2. In fact, the principal is regularly referred to as Da Fuhrer. Or Janet as opposed ti Ms Williamson or Ma'am. And there is a running joke that when we are required to stand as she enters that someone has to Hitler salute and shout "Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" No one has the gonads just yet.

If you think your school bears any resemblance to the horrors of Nazi Germany, I would suggest that you pay more attention in History. And maybe grow up a bit.

*Removed*. Because quite frankly, it is akin to Nazi Germany. Or more specifically the Hitler Youth. Daily assemblies to reaffirm our commitment, giving us ideas of loyalty and dedication to the bullgak school and immediate censorship of anyone who would dare speak out.

Grow up, mate. You're receiving an education (and, therefore, a start at life) that is the envy of huge swathes of the world and you're behaving like an entitled brat. I have met both holocaust survivors and WWII veterans who would probably think you both monstrously ungrateful and grossly misinformed.

However, I prefer the term 'teenager'. It's snappier.

Ha. An education is meaningless if educated not put to use or useless to the chosen career path.

Right. That's exactly my point. You're speaking from the POV of a generation paralysed by ennui because every opportunity has been handed to you. There are people living in rural sub-saharan Africa that would literally kill you to take your place in school, in all probability, as an education could mean a ticket out of poverty and starvation. An education is an opportunity to better yourself and your family. Why would you not seize that as if your life and well-being depends on it? It does, more or less.

Good for them. Good for me, I've got my privileges. Blind luck. Better myself? At what? The square root of pi? Most of what is learned in school is utterly irrelevant to one's life. Family? My parents have their own lives, this is mine. And I never not once said I would not seize it. Only that I despise the school and its censorship, demands of fealty under the pretext of encouragement and its indoctrination process. It disgusts me. But only because they hide behind lies. I would be more accepting if they were outright

Plus, quite frankly, even a degree is no guarentee of employment and living off state benefits can get you more money than an honest job in this country.
Entitled? Nay sir. I hate the concept of entitlement. I make no allusions that I deserve or am entitled to anything. I strongly believe that like everyone else my existence is utterly worthless.

Yep, ennui. You are paralysed by satiety. Your every basic human need (and in all likelihood, a lot of not-so-basic needs) is taken care of so you have mental space to look at your life and question these things that you have been handed, simply by virtue of being (presumably) born in the United Kingdom. Being handed a world-class education and complaining that having to obey school procedures is akin to the horrors of the Third Reich smacks of entitlement. You sound spoilt.

World class really depends on the teacher and government in control, doesn't it? That said my school is pretty good for education. I will now ask you to explain how I am entitled by drawing on knowledge the school gave me to draw comparisons? That's all I'm doing. The school shuts down anything that disagrees with its public image of "the best school in the country." And by country I'm speaking of Northern Ireland rather than the whole UK. That in itself is a lie considering almost every year we are not even in the top 10 for exam results. Such examples include recent articles in the school newspaper (which I am on, but this particular article wasn't mine). This particular article was simply a report on the most recent grades. After the principal read it she demanded that AS Media Studies be "forgotten" due to the fact there was only 1 grade A in the whole class/school. I will admit I am the one A grade so there's personal sting but frankly, if I have gotten a U(ngraded) it would still be the same.

Furthermore, I see no mention in my posts that I deserve or am entitled to anything. Simply a factual comparison, which should you be a member of my school you might actually come to realise is accurate. Plus, freedom of speech would be nice, all I'm saying.

You have that, within the boundaries set by the Mod team. So do I. Which is why you don't have protection from my opinion, provided I adhere to the rules. Which I feel I am doing.

I was referring to my school. You are free to express opinion as you wish, and in fact would encourage you to do so.
Another example would be my friend last year, who recieved 3 days suspension for having a private conversation on twitter. The details of which were mostly based around my friend feeling wronged by a teacher. The grounds of suspension were "slandering the school." Nothing in school rules, code of conduct, fine print, the Terms and Conditions about any of that.

If you believe me misinformed, feel free. I have studied Nazi Germany for nearing 9 years, and I enjoy History above other subjects. Its simply incredibly easy to find similarities.

Yes, if you reduce to absurdity. Your school has a code of conduct and rules which students must obey. The Nazi party had rules that the German people and occupied countries had to obey, therefore the two are similar. What your school is missing is genocide, gas chambers, forced labour, mass murder and rape, racial segregation and the deaths of millions of people in the bloodiest war the world has yet seen. If you feel you are being unfairly treated, you should speak to your parents and complain through the official channels - complaining that your school is like Nazi Germany because teachers expect you to obey rules just makes you look like a silly little boy, frankly. I have to believe you are better than that. Think of this as tough love.

The Code of Conduct does not address restriction of opinion or freedom of speech. It does however, require we loom and dress a certain way, even when not in uniform. It is uncaring. I'll give you an example. One particular example is a guy in my year, although I should say a girl, but its an all-male school so let's say a guy. He/she considers themselves to be a woman, and prefers the company of men to women. On non-uniform days he is forbidden to dress as a woman or in anything to suggest he is anything other than a straight male. At our formal this March he is forbidden to bring his boyfriend, under the rules that say you must bring a date and not just your friend from another school or lower year. All of that is covered by the unwritten, unspoken rule the principal has decided; "It defames the good name of the school." Note she also has her bullgak "Gay person rules." Basically they can get away with murder. Phone in class? "Don't do it again." Smoking in the toilets? Slap on the wrist.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ketara wrote:

Albatross is a bit...brusque at times, but he's working from a perspective and position of knowledge a few decades beyond yours. That doesn't necessarily make him right (age is no guarantor of wisdom), but he's an intelligent bloke. If he thinks you're talking a load of old cobblers, he probably has a reason for that.

And Albatross? Play nice.
Take the time to explain why you think the chap is wrong.

Why should I? I'm an 'intelligent bloke'. My time is precious.

Incidentally, I hate that. Please don't do that. I find it patronising. I know that I have intelligence. I am a grown man who means exactly what he says and knows exactly what he means. I don't need to be told to 'play nice', thank you very much.

Meh, maybe I'm being oversensitive. I'm kind of hungover.

Join the club. I am almost certain I had a pint of liquified roofies last night

**Compel**

Well, I dunno about you guys.

But it seems to me that school issues certainly have changed a heckuva lot in the past decade from reading that.

However, my one big piece of advice, to anyone, everywhere. Is, it's the internet, there's no such thing as a private conversation. - This goes doubly so for twitter.

Anything else found there, way, way, way out of my sphere of knowledge.

**Deadshot**

Compel wrote:
Well, I dunno about you guys.

But it seems to me that school issues certainly have changed a heckuva lot in the past decade from reading that.

However, my one big piece of advice, to anyone, everywhere. Is, it's the internet, there's no such thing as a private conversation. - This goes doubly so for twitter.

Anything else found there, way, way, way out of my sphere of knowledge.

It was on a Twitter account set to "friends only" or some such as I am told. Either that or PM. I am not versed in twitter. All I know is what I have been told, and that is there is absolutely no way the school could have read it without some sort of spying, account hacking or someone grassed him up (which is an issue in itself, but there isn't anyone I know that would squeal and I know everyone.)