Goodrich School in Daily Mail

[Growlybear]

Whatever the truth of all this, I was surprised to read in the Mail article that Mr Moyle has apparently been suspended from the Governing Body. If he is an elected parent governor (rather than appointed), there are no powers to remove or suspend him for something like this.

[AnotherPaul]

The story is in essence true. The poster exists and whilst no masterpiece is hard to read as an image of a racist lynching of a black woman. The MAN in the middle of the mob is WHITE and has a BEARD.

I feel that Mrs Patterson's reactions to the poster have been ill-judged and an over-reaction, the lack of Police action pretty much confirms this (unless they're part of a conspiracy). There was never a need to involve the Police, a Union or the LEA. What Mrs Patterson's motives were for crying 'lynch mob' will remain her own but if she genuinely thinks that's the sub-plot of this poster then Goodrich school has a problem.

NowNo, I'm puzzled, what on earth does this mean "?she is the best person in this world. Trust me." Better than everyone else? Hmmmm.

[Emily]

I am surprised that anyone fails to recognise the figures as from the Frankenstein movie - it has been parodied endlessly, including in Young Frankenstein the Wallace and Gromit film The Curse of the Were Rabbit. 'Pitchfork waving' has become a joke phrase meaning angry people.

[Huguenot]

Growlybear I think you'll find that there are a range of situations in which you can suspend elected members, just like there are for MPs.

These may include gross misconduct, criminal activity, bringing the institution into disrepute, vote of no confidence, impeachment and so on.

I'm not saying any of these apply in this context, nor whether they would be fair - just saying that the board will have a range of options.

Regardless of that, it is common practise to suspend elected members of organisations whilst an investigation is in place.

[Huguenot]

Oh come on Emily!

Back to family fortunes...

We asked 100 people to describe a group of armed people with pitchforks and flaming torches chasing after an individual, our survey said...

Lynch Mob - 80%

Witch hunters - 20%

Joke - 0%

Teachers are habitually abused and threatened (and sometimes physically attacked). They are likely to be sensitive to this fact. This doesn't make them over-sensitive, it makes them real people. If this was after several months of 'heated' confrontation then it's all the more sensitive.

Only a real wally would put up posters of lynch mobs around school in this context, whatever the 'joke' might have been.

It is a spectacular error of judgement to expect anything else.

[intexasatthe moment]

"Mind you, it seems to have been resolved now, so probably best to let it go."

[Huguenot]

;-)

[Mick Mac]

You are way off the mark here Huguenot imo. The poster was innocent. It advertised a Governors meeting with parents. David Moyle was a new Governor and the poster most likely reflected the pressure David Moyle was expecting to feel from demanding parents. The head teacher's position was not even relevant to the poster and I cannot see how any calm and rational person would have come to the conclusion that this was anything to do with her.

[Emily]

I don't watch Family Fortunes but on the Archers this morning there was a joke about Joe Grundy having to escape a mob with flaming torches after his mistletoe scam was exposed. I really don't think Joe Grundy is a black character, or that there was any suggestion of racism.

[Emily]

That's 'paranoia' - trying to type and cook. And hear hear Mick Mack, some sanity at last!

[Slang]

Yes Emily I agree with you.

[James Barber]

What an appalling time for this to be reported and this forum to expand upon it locally.

Kids will be sitting SATs after the Easter holidays.

Everyone involved needs to be focused on those.

Any distraction from those can only harm the school and children within it - poor SATs will see people avoiding being allocated places there which would cause chaos to local kids education.

Equally, this Autumn will see a full Ofsted inspection. If the school has issued inspectors will soon pick this up then.

[LadyDeliah]

My daughter left Goodrich last summer and I know that Mrs Patterson was having a very difficult time implementing the changes she felt were necessary in the school. There was fairly open hostility from some of the White middle-class parents whose advantage built up during the previous regime seemed to have less currency with Mrs Patterson. I didn't agree with all of her changes, but I respect her reasons for making the decisions she has made.

It comes as no surprise to me that some if the 'I know better' wealthy parents in the school have turned their opposition to Mrs Patterson into something of a vendetta as that was the flavour that had started building up before my daughter left. The poster is a smart arse insult to injury and in my opinion Mrs Patterson was right to interpret it as a veiled threat of an attempted coup. I think the colour of the character about to be lynched is irrelevant. It's the sentiment that is important after months of undermining hostility.

[Growlybear]

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[Growlybear]

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[zeban]

dully Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think it would have been unprofessional for the

> teacher to comment to the daily mail. Any other

> paper maybe but they were always going to give her

> a rough ride.

>

> The poster is awful and too questionable a choice

> to have been used in the context of a primary

> school even if it was for parents. The guy clearly

> has an ego problem if he thinks it was

> appropriate. If he was elected then surely it was

> his choice to work for the pta, so just do the job

> and don't try and turn it to a satire exercise.

> Magazine, student paper would be appropriate. Kids

> school no.

>

> I have noticed that some East dulwich residents

> are sometimes racist. Whether out of malice or

> ignorance it has been seen and heard. I wouldn't

> discount that there may have been events which

> contributed and affected the head teachers

> perception of events. The fact that the parents

> are pushy enough that this poster was made in the

> first instance would suggest the head is up

> against it. Good luck to her I say.

Dully, I COMPLETELY agree with you and well done for saying this. I wanted to say it in my last post but thought I'd be shot down.

And LadyDeliah you too. Emily you're clearly in denial. I feel really sorry for the head. And this is why any head who is not representing white, middle class parents in good state schools must have a really hard job. Pushy middle class parents only want to continue pushing for the priviledges for their children that their status affords. But we need heads like this in London and I hope she stays and people can let her get on with the job that she was actually hired to do- paid to do- unlike parent governers.

[showboat]

I've spoken today to a couple of parents who have/recently had kids at Goodrich, and I get the immpression that when Mrs Patterson arrived some parents weren't happy with how she did things.

Results declined after she took over - there's no doubt about it, but these things happen sometimes when a new head arrives. A couple of years later and things are back up again. I've got a nasty feeling that there are some parents who would be happy to see her go, and I reckon whoever called the Daily Mail is one of them.

I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing now. I'm still amazed that she didn't talk to Mr Moyles first - that seems to be a terrible mistake, as possibly the whole thing could've been avoided. But there definately seems to be more going on here than the Mail has reported.

[pep]

Is local councillor James Barber seriously suggesting this controversy should have been kept secret?

From one of his earlier posts on another thread I see he had several times spoken to the head recently, and to a concerned parent. As a result I would not be surprised if he already knew about this row - involving the police, governors, and a Southwark council inquiry team - that led to an elected parent governor being suspended.

So maybe it's alright for councillors to know about this, and police, and governors, and Southwark council staff. But not us, the little people, who pay the taxes that fund these sort of shenanigans.

Can that really be right James?

[*Bob*]

Assuming (as I think we must) that Ms Patterson isn't a complete idiot, then you'd have to be a complete idiot not to assume a background story and history to this - other than 'ooh he just made this funny poster and she called the police'.

[Alex K]

LadyDeliah cuts close to the bone. It sounds as if the school is in very bad trouble. But Lady D's text only hints at so many things!

Let me quote her, below, and interpolate questions.

LadyDeliah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My daughter left Goodrich last summer and I know

> that Mrs Patterson was having a very difficult

> time implementing the changes she felt were

> necessary in the school.

What were these changes? Why might she have felt them necessary?

> There was fairly open

> hostility from some of the White middle-class

> parents whose advantage built up during the

> previous regime seemed to have less currency with

> Mrs Patterson.

Advantage over whom? In what did advantage consist?

> I didn't agree with all of her

> changes, but I respect her reasons for making the

> decisions she has made.

What were the issues on which decisions had to be made; what decisions did she make; what reasons did she give?

> It comes as no surprise to me that some if the 'I

> know better' wealthy parents in the school have

> turned their opposition to Mrs Patterson into

> something of a vendetta as that was the flavour

> that had started building up before my daughter

> left. The poster is a smart arse insult to injury

> and in my opinion Mrs Patterson was right to

> interpret it as a veiled threat of an attempted

> coup. I think the colour of the character about to

> be lynched is irrelevant. It's the sentiment that

> is important after months of undermining

> hostility.

Should a school offer several different sorts of education tailored to class or race backgrounds? Is an education that white middle-class parents might think good for their children not good for the children of black or Asian middle-class parents, or not good for the children of white lower-class parents? Conversely, is an education that black lower-class parents might think good for their children not likely to find approval from white middle-class parents?

(I would hope that all these questions could be answered "No". Spelling, the multiplication table, ability to write the essay "My Favourite Pet", ability to give the proper change from a ?20 note for various small purchases -- the skills that one hopes a child will learn at primary school seem to me largely independent of skin colour or household income. Some pupils might receive most of their coaching in these skills at home, others at school. But the skills themselves...)

Are those involved at this school REALLY lined up, in terms of what the school can do for children, on opposite sides of divisions by class and by race?

I ask the last question because it seems to me that if they were, that would be immensely deplorable.

[Emily]

what rubbish LadyDelilah.

[Emily]

Sats are supposed to be about judging the school, not individual children, surely?

[malumbu]

I've not checked this thead, but surely no one in East Dulwich reads the 'Daily Hate'. With all the Grauniads there is no room for any other paper in the newsagents.

[taper]

Thanks for that Malumbu. Very helpful. This is a private matter for the school, the governors and parents. Discussion on this forum can only do damage. It should be locked.

[lovegoodrich]

Completely agree Taper. Well said!!

Some of us like the changes that have been made, have kids doing well and love the place. Those who don't should grow up, stop contacting national papers and if they are still out of sorts - LEAVE !!