Blog 10: New Year, New Rants (Finally)

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!
Ok, first, I must make my apologies to my loyal fan club of TWO...
I'm sorry I haven't ranted for a long time...
I do have some rants now though so I can whack 'em up...
Get ready for the first rants of 2009...

So, my first rant is at the WORLD GOING MAD with privacy invasion. Obvious example is the banning of TRAINSPOTTERS; I know there is potentially a risk, but Timmy El Nerd isn't going to be it is he?
Trainspotters if anything can HELP against terrorism because they can spot things wrong with trains. We should utilise this (arguably wierd) hobby for the better. Not ban them.
I mean, ok I don't know what would possess someone to pursue this hobby, but if they enjoy it, fair enough, let 'em get on with it.
Leave 'em alone.

Another example is the recent suspension and discussed expulsion of students who joined a group on facebook declaring their dislike for a teacher of theirs. This happened in a school in London, which I won't name, but although I was completely unaffected as with Trainspotters, I got a bit annoyed.
Firstly, how was this discovered? It's illegal for a teacher to be in this sort of social contact with pupils until they have left school, and you can't look at what groups people are in without them accepting you as a friend...
Even if thats manageable legally (perhaps through old pupils at the school) it is a STUDENT SOCIAL WBSITE. Ok, if a teacher wants in, fine, but they cannot complain if they discover that they are unpopular with pupils. SOME PEOPLE ARE. Get used to it.
Thirdly, these pupils have a right to express their opinions; hence the FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION in this country. THIS MEANS THAT as long as they are not inciting hatred towards a person or group, or violence, they can say whatever they want.
An example would be if a man was to say "I hate frogs" (for arguments sake), then (if frogs had the same rights as us) THAT would be absolutely ok. If he had said "I hate frogs, let's go kill 'em all"- That is when it becomes illegal.
SUSPENDING PUPILS FOR JOINING THE GROUP WE HATE MRS SO AND SO IS NOT ILLEGAL.
Get on with it.