Posts by Jackie Clark
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Oh Jolisa. Beautiful, just beautiful, and so prescient, really. I admire your chutzpah sticking it out but at least you know why your boy needed to go elsewhere. Many parents' decisions around school have to do with decile ratings, and test scores and tables. National Standards, in my humble opinion, are pushing us further down that track. As a teacher of pre school children, it frustrates me enough that the creativity of my sector hasn't breached the barrier of "formalised learning" in this country, try and try and try as some of us might. Testing, and strenuous summative assessment, just make it all so much harder. I have so much to say on this subject, but I'm not ready just yet. Maybe when I've listened to what Julie has to say, next week........
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And what of early childhood education? Because you don't imagine that National Standards will be just for children aged over 5, do you? Oh no, trickle down it will be, and sadly, that means it will all flow on. I'm off to a great seminar thingy held by our own Julie Super Woman to find out all about how it's going to affect my sector. I do not expect to be surprised by the information that is forthcoming.
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I'm with you, Islander. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.
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Thank you for that beautiful heartfelt piece, Graham. Your writing, as usual, is eloquent and sincere, and utterly utterly spellbinding. And it reflects what many will feel, I think. Sad, even if they didn't meet the man.
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Thanks Philip for your great post - this is an issue that needs addressing immediately, really, for the sake of us all. There was a great piece in the Herald this morning about a family consisting of a father in his 70's and his two children who are cognitively disabled. He has been doing it all by himself for 40 years and more, and I would recommend that you all read his story. It sickens me that when the bottom line is threatened, people suffer so much, and there is absolutely no need for it. Like grandparents who take over the care of their grandchildren when their children are unable, parents who care for their differently abled children, often in extraordinarily difficult circumstances, are doing a job, a much underestimated job, and should be remunerated for their love and time, and effort. People who are unable to care for themselves, in whatever way, or to live independently, or who need help in some way for a substantial part of the day, deserve to have people working with and for them who care about them, and who better than family, in most cases? And what about training for family members who care for those people they love who can't do every thing for themselves? Such a complex issue, and yet so, so simple.
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@Megan - we all do our bit, eh, my love. Sometimes, it's necessary to argue our corner even when people don't get it, nor do they wish to get it.
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I understand that bared breasts are not always sexual, but unless there's a baby attached, it's game on...
Oh. Oh, did you just say that? Yes, you seem to have. Facetiousness noted. No comeback necessary.
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I actually found that piece quite interesting, Damian, largely because I didn't realise it wasn't against any bylaws to be topless on the beach, and I quite like not wearing clothes, so anywhere I can go seminaked is great with me. You know more than me about the goings on of ratings wars etc, I daresay, so you are probably right. This Miss Titty Topless, however, wasn't offended or cynical about the piece in the slightest.
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And even if, as Emma said earlier, she wanted sex with multiple partners, what difference does that make? It sounds fairly simple to me - whether or not she implied she was up for it, whether or not they thought she was up for it, whether or not she was up for it when she got to where the 6 men were....all of that is irrelevant, IMHO, if she says NO at any stage of her interaction with any or all of the aforementioned people. Sure, some of these circumstances would make it difficult to prosecute but not impossible, surely? I don't know how law courts work in detail, but I do know that the CPS decides whether a case is worth trying or not. They obviously decided that this case was, so then why abandon it like this?
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Love 7 Days, and I did enjoy @seven - Bagust aside. I too love that TV3 have so much local comedy on, it does us all good. And really, Ben Hurley and Steve Wrigley are gojus.