It was five years ago when I wrote my “Education, Education, Education” ebook, which incorporated my various writings and blogs to do with education that I wrote prior to that.

It was Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister (1997-2007), who became known for coining his “education, education, education” catch phrase when describing the priorities of his government. It is also my priority and, while I can cite my having three degrees as evidence of being an educated man, I find increasingly in my advancing years there is so much more education I need in order consider myself the fully-rounded, finished product. While my writings have taken me in other directions, education remains a passion. I am also mindful that many bad people, e.g. Stalin and Hitler, have also made it their passion, in order to control the way children are educated, with the view to indoctrinate them in their dubious ideologies, and, if you are into conspiracy theories, there is the globalist cabal seeking to take over educational institutions (some say they have succeeded to a good extent) with much the same idea in mind. My favourite quote though on how to influence young minds is by the Jesuits, borrowed from Aristotle.

A lot of my political leaning blogs have been to do with happenings in the USA. As for my own country, I have tended toward depression and disinterest (I am a political neutral). But I haven’t taken my eyes of what is happening, e.g. regarding government overreach. I find it ironic that the government have tried to control us, in particular our bodies, by mandating Covid-19 vaccines, and yet they have caved in to the “my body, my choice” lobby when it comes to making laws on abortion. Looking at the world generally, I see a movement toward controlling the populace, which is tending toward globalism, and my gut feeling is that this is what is behind The Schools Bill 2022, the subject of this blog. The type of world envisaged by supporters of the Great Reset needs people toeing the official line and that eschews dissent from it, and where better to start than with the children?

On a UK government website, headed with “PM to announce new laws to level up education opportunity so no child is left behind”, we read of the following rationale:

1. Schools Bill to help deliver government’s ambition to give every child in the country a world-class education, providing the foundation they need to secure future well-paid jobs
2. Bill will support schools to raise standards, strengthen attendance and improve safeguarding for children wherever they are educated
3. Measures will feed into the government’s central mission to spread opportunity, level up the country, and strengthen our economy

Another government website provides detailed “Information explaining measures in the Schools Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in May 2022”. As I write, the Bill has passed its first two readings in the House of Lords and is now at the committee stage. It has yet to begin its passage in the House of Commons and assuming wise counsel can prevail there are potentially opportunities to make significant amendments.

I confess, while my cursory reading of the relevant documents is fairly basic, alarms are raised when it comes to education in schools but more significantly education in homes, which increasingly parents, dissatisfied with state education (for good reasons), are opting for. In “UK Column News – 13th June 2022” (54 minutes in – 10 minutes) one home school mother articulated her concerns around privacy and imposition. These concerns and others have been raised by home school parents I know and respect. In “The Schools Bill: Briefing paper”, produced by a group of concerned parents etc., called “Education Otherwise”, we read:

The Schools’ Bill has been introduced and had its first reading in the House of Lords. Home educating families and organisations that have an interest in the development of children are horrified by its content.

Home educating families have been repeatedly assured that this Bill would go no further than mandatory registration of home educated children. The Bill goes considerably further and if enacted, will destroy the very basis of home education: provision of an individualised education to a child, suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitude.

By introducing a compulsory register of all home educated children, the Bill gives Local Authorities near enough unlimited powers to demand any and all information with threats of substantial fines and year-long imprisonment. Experience tells us that whilst some LAs will act reasonably, a sizeable number have demonstrated a continued propensity to abuse their existing powers, causing long lasting distress and harassment to children and parents. With no oversight the extent of abuse of power will only increase.

It is widely known that making a complaint to the LA is ineffective; the Local Government Ombudsman will only investigate whether or not the LA’s own policy (which may be illegal) is followed; the Secretary of State does not act on complaints and has not revoked a single School Attendance Order (SAO) for a home educated child and Judicial Review is inaccessible costing upwards of £50,000.

For our full report, please click here.

This above is not the profound analysis of the Schools Bill that I would have liked, but there is enough in what I have written to back up why I believe people should be concerned, especially if one were to opt to home educate one’s child (no longer an issue in my case … but if my situation were different …) Whether home schooling one’s child or letting the state do it, every indication is that the education system is going in the wrong direction and parents need to take back control of their children’s education (the Bible text above reflects what I see as my main priority concerning children’s education, along with trying to instill good manners, discipline, well rounded learning and the ability to question everything). As for what to do, answers include pray about it, make your concerns known and write to your MP but don’t blame others if down the line you see the worst effects if the Bill as it stands being enacted, which sadly given public apathy is all too likely, and you do nothing – but gladly some are awake. I submit this as part of my watchman remit, warning people how things currently stand, encouraging them to demand change.