In response to Mark Ellse, Labourer Jason faces a long stretch. Imprisoned in school until he is 18, 5th column traitors wrote:
When I was at school (very much pre-GSCE days) we had streams: Upper, middle and lower and in those streams three tiers each, so effectively each year was split into 9 “layers” of pupils split by their general level of intelligence and academic abilities.
The top three layers were pretty much destined to go to university, the middle three would generally end up as skilled blue collar, while the lower three would be bound to be “Jasons”. But here’s the rub: The “Jasons” were schooled heavily in the practical lessons such as woodwork, metal work, etc and were more often than not sent on apprenticeships and they mostly would end up successful at it, as were the other tiers at what they were carefully schooled into.
Of course, all that is now considered exclusionist and classist and probably many other “ists” and cannot possibly be done. So instead we have not very academic, but potentially highly skilled in other ways, kids being forced and pressured down routes they hate and are surely doomed to fail at. No wonder teenage depression and suicide rates are up.
I am a firm believer that given the right environment and encouragement people (especially teenagers) will bubble up to their best level. Force them into situations they are clearly not suited to and everyone suffers. A manager’s job is to ensure the right people are in the right place. Sadly our politicians are not managers. In fact they all seem to be “Jasons” who have been forced into politics and are utterly dreadful at it – even when they are well meaning.
