So this is horrifying...

[mrsukyankee]

Revealed: UK government keeping files on education critics’ social media activity

An Observer investigation finds DfE tried to cancel conference with ‘unsuitable’ speakers – and experts who criticised state education policy had online posts monitored

At least nine experts have uncovered files held on them, some as long as 60 pages. One individual even discovered the department had compiled an Excel spreadsheet in which officials had detailed who she interacted with.

Officials at the DfE also tried to cancel a conference because two of the scheduled speakers had previously criticised government policy.

Ruth Swailes and Aaron Bradbury, co-authors of a bestselling book on early childhood, were told by the organisers of a government-sponsored event for childminders and nursery workers, which they were due to speak at in March, that the DfE planned to cancel the conference just days before it opened because they were deemed to be “unsuitable” headline speakers.

The event was eventually allowed to go ahead after Swailes and Bradbury threatened the department with legal action, although a senior government official was present to “monitor” what they said.



Gotta love my governments moves into Fascism. Just one of so many moves recently. I'm actually horrified and not sure what we can do to change this before they destroy this country.

[erbear]

Good lord. As a progressive educator who speaks her mind, that terrifies me.

[mrsukyankee]

Oct 1, 2023 14:00:23 GMT -5 erbear said:

Good lord. As a progressive educator who speaks her mind, that terrifies me.

Me too. I'm wouldn't be shocked if I'm not on some list somewhere.

[ellipses84]

That’s crazy. They must have spent so much time and taxpayer $$ on that. You can request your info if you think you are on any list.

@@ In the US, the current elementary education system was developed without much input from ECE professionals so the earlier Ed (including pre-k) is not very developmentally appropriate and why people say Kindergarten curriculum is more like 1st grade was for our generation. The expectation to sit most of the day and do academic work is something many aren’t developmentally ready for, which leads to behavioral issues, early Dx/ meds (which can often be misdiagnosed at that age), redlining, etc. The professionals in ECE are very vocal about this.

Best practices have changed so much every decade.

[gardengal]

That's really unsettling. wtf!