Post by Teddy Bear on Feb 27, 2013 22:12:20 GMT
I don't know what exactly the purpose of the BBC in reporting this story they way they have, but something is very fishy.
When there are glaring omissions from what other media sources are reporting, then for sure the BBC has an angle for doing so.
First see what they have to tell about it:
Before I continue, just consider what your impression is from what you've been told. It's exactly the one the BBC wants you to have.
Now read the article from The Telegraph on this story
So we can see the most obvious omissions from the BBC is telling us what the boy was doing before the staff put him in this room to calm down.
This is why they see the need to inform us The council confirmed the allegations were not of a sexual nature.
They also don't tell us that the head teacher that was suspended was not even present at the school when this incident happened.
Like I said, I'm not sure what exactly the BBC angle here is yet. I can tell you that Blackpool Council is a Labour Council, as is Sarah Riding. So perhaps this is the BBC way of not making them look foolish or appear like they've overreacted.
After all, when a council hires somebody with the title (Charlotte Clarke) the council's head of universal services and school effectiveness, it's difficult not to.
I will keep my eyes on this and see what future reporting on it exposes.
When there are glaring omissions from what other media sources are reporting, then for sure the BBC has an angle for doing so.
First see what they have to tell about it:
Revoe Primary School suspends six staff members
The staff have been suspended from Revoe Community Primary School
A primary school head teacher and five staff members have been suspended over alleged ill-treatment including locking a pupil in a room.
The staff at Revoe Community Primary School in Blackpool were suspended after concerns were raised before half-term last week, the council said.
It said no child was believed to have come to any harm but that it was a "serious situation".
Lancashire Police have confirmed they are investigating.
The council confirmed the allegations were not of a sexual nature.
The incident came to light after a member of Blackpool Council's education department visited the school on an unrelated matter.
It is alleged a pupil was locked in a small room on their own after being badly behaved.
Sarah Riding, cabinet member for education and schools, said the six had been replaced with temporary members of staff and parents had been informed.
'Safeguarding young people'
She said: "Before half term we were made aware of an issue at Revoe Primary School that raised concerns to us about the professional judgement made by a number of staff in relation to pupil well-being.
"These concerns have led to the suspension of six members of staff while a full investigation is carried out."
A police spokeswoman said: "This allegation, like any allegation involving the well-being of young people, is being taken extremely seriously and will be thoroughly investigated as our priority is the safeguarding of young people.
"No arrests have been made at this stage."
The school, on Grasmere Road, teaches children aged between two and 11 years old. It has more than 400 pupils and employs about 70 people, including teachers and support staff.
The staff have been suspended from Revoe Community Primary School
A primary school head teacher and five staff members have been suspended over alleged ill-treatment including locking a pupil in a room.
The staff at Revoe Community Primary School in Blackpool were suspended after concerns were raised before half-term last week, the council said.
It said no child was believed to have come to any harm but that it was a "serious situation".
Lancashire Police have confirmed they are investigating.
The council confirmed the allegations were not of a sexual nature.
The incident came to light after a member of Blackpool Council's education department visited the school on an unrelated matter.
It is alleged a pupil was locked in a small room on their own after being badly behaved.
Sarah Riding, cabinet member for education and schools, said the six had been replaced with temporary members of staff and parents had been informed.
'Safeguarding young people'
She said: "Before half term we were made aware of an issue at Revoe Primary School that raised concerns to us about the professional judgement made by a number of staff in relation to pupil well-being.
"These concerns have led to the suspension of six members of staff while a full investigation is carried out."
A police spokeswoman said: "This allegation, like any allegation involving the well-being of young people, is being taken extremely seriously and will be thoroughly investigated as our priority is the safeguarding of young people.
"No arrests have been made at this stage."
The school, on Grasmere Road, teaches children aged between two and 11 years old. It has more than 400 pupils and employs about 70 people, including teachers and support staff.
Before I continue, just consider what your impression is from what you've been told. It's exactly the one the BBC wants you to have.
Now read the article from The Telegraph on this story
Revoe Primary School: Head teacher suspended after 'knife-wielding pupil' put in isolation room to cool down
Cath Woodall, a primary school head teacher, and five other staff have been suspended after a pupil who allegedly threatened classmates with a knife stolen from the Revoe Primary School kitchen was shut in a lockable room.
Head teacher Cath Woodall, 51, who was not on duty at the time, is among those being questioned by police after the nine-year-old boy made threats against teachers and pupils.
The boy was confronted by school staff after it was claimed he took a knife from the kitchen area of Revoe Primary School in Blackpool, Lancashire.
A teacher blocked the boy's path through the school and he started to kick out at her. The staff member then put the boy in a restraining hold approved for use by police officers.
Finally he was placed in a small room with a glass window to try and calm him down. One teacher stood outside for forty minutes before the boy calmed down sufficiently.
However parents of children at the central Blackpool school were told the "professional judgment" of the six employees had been questioned when "isolating them during challenging behaviour".
Blackpool Council and Lancashire Police have launched an inquiry, although the council said it did not believe any child had come to harm.
It is understood the alarm was raised after one parent said the room was the size of a cupboard.
In a letter to parents, Charlotte Clarke, the council's head of universal services and school effectiveness, wrote: "Before half-term Blackpool Council became concerned about the professional judgment made by these staff in relation to the well-being of pupils when isolating them during challenging behaviour.
"This has led to six members of staff being suspended. The suspensions are a neutral act to allow a full investigation to take place as quickly as possible.”
One member of staff not suspended defended the actions of the teachers, saying they had few options when confronted with the knife.
"The issue is one of false imprisonment of a nine year old ... because the door on the small calming down room is lockable," the teacher said.
"This boy had really lost it and he had taken a knife from the kitchen. What were the staff supposed to do?"
Parents were bewildered by the number of teachers suspended.
Nicola Pearce, 46, from Mereside, who has one daughter at the school, said: "When I had a look at the letter I couldn't believe it.
"One member of staff being suspended is bad enough but six is shocking.
"I hope it's not going to affect my child."
A temporary head teacher had been drafted into the 489 pupil school while the investigation continues.
In a statement, Councillor Sarah Riding, the council's cabinet member for education and schools, said: "Before half-term we were made aware of an issue at Revoe Primary School that raised concerns to us about the professional judgment made by a number of staff in relation to pupil well-being.
"These concerns have led to the suspension of six members of staff while a full investigation is carried out. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the nature of the investigation until it has been concluded.
"Although we have no reason to suspect any child has come to harm this is a serious situation that needed immediate action to be taken.
"In the meantime temporary staff have been recruited and there will be no disruption to children's learning. All parents will receive a letter explaining the current arrangements in place."
Cath Woodall, a primary school head teacher, and five other staff have been suspended after a pupil who allegedly threatened classmates with a knife stolen from the Revoe Primary School kitchen was shut in a lockable room.
Head teacher Cath Woodall, 51, who was not on duty at the time, is among those being questioned by police after the nine-year-old boy made threats against teachers and pupils.
The boy was confronted by school staff after it was claimed he took a knife from the kitchen area of Revoe Primary School in Blackpool, Lancashire.
A teacher blocked the boy's path through the school and he started to kick out at her. The staff member then put the boy in a restraining hold approved for use by police officers.
Finally he was placed in a small room with a glass window to try and calm him down. One teacher stood outside for forty minutes before the boy calmed down sufficiently.
However parents of children at the central Blackpool school were told the "professional judgment" of the six employees had been questioned when "isolating them during challenging behaviour".
Blackpool Council and Lancashire Police have launched an inquiry, although the council said it did not believe any child had come to harm.
It is understood the alarm was raised after one parent said the room was the size of a cupboard.
In a letter to parents, Charlotte Clarke, the council's head of universal services and school effectiveness, wrote: "Before half-term Blackpool Council became concerned about the professional judgment made by these staff in relation to the well-being of pupils when isolating them during challenging behaviour.
"This has led to six members of staff being suspended. The suspensions are a neutral act to allow a full investigation to take place as quickly as possible.”
One member of staff not suspended defended the actions of the teachers, saying they had few options when confronted with the knife.
"The issue is one of false imprisonment of a nine year old ... because the door on the small calming down room is lockable," the teacher said.
"This boy had really lost it and he had taken a knife from the kitchen. What were the staff supposed to do?"
Parents were bewildered by the number of teachers suspended.
Nicola Pearce, 46, from Mereside, who has one daughter at the school, said: "When I had a look at the letter I couldn't believe it.
"One member of staff being suspended is bad enough but six is shocking.
"I hope it's not going to affect my child."
A temporary head teacher had been drafted into the 489 pupil school while the investigation continues.
In a statement, Councillor Sarah Riding, the council's cabinet member for education and schools, said: "Before half-term we were made aware of an issue at Revoe Primary School that raised concerns to us about the professional judgment made by a number of staff in relation to pupil well-being.
"These concerns have led to the suspension of six members of staff while a full investigation is carried out. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the nature of the investigation until it has been concluded.
"Although we have no reason to suspect any child has come to harm this is a serious situation that needed immediate action to be taken.
"In the meantime temporary staff have been recruited and there will be no disruption to children's learning. All parents will receive a letter explaining the current arrangements in place."
So we can see the most obvious omissions from the BBC is telling us what the boy was doing before the staff put him in this room to calm down.
This is why they see the need to inform us The council confirmed the allegations were not of a sexual nature.
They also don't tell us that the head teacher that was suspended was not even present at the school when this incident happened.
Like I said, I'm not sure what exactly the BBC angle here is yet. I can tell you that Blackpool Council is a Labour Council, as is Sarah Riding. So perhaps this is the BBC way of not making them look foolish or appear like they've overreacted.
After all, when a council hires somebody with the title (Charlotte Clarke) the council's head of universal services and school effectiveness, it's difficult not to.
I will keep my eyes on this and see what future reporting on it exposes.
