Thick as bricks

Parents’ fury at play bricks

Before you read on, just take five to think about the enormous health and safety culture that has sprung up since 1997 and the dawn of New Labour. Smoke if you got 'em

Have a think about all those otherwise unemployable little people with a power trip who have been given highly paid jobs as Co-ordinator this and Officer that. Think about the untold misery that they inflict on society as they go about making choices for us and doing good deeds for the benefit of others.

Creating scares about skin cancer risk from sun exposure, then banning sun cream from schools because someone might have an allergic reaction.
Banning footballs from playgrounds because someone might trip on one.
Chopping down Horse Chestnut trees so conkers don't fall out of them.
Creating peado scares so children are afraid to go out and play
Etc ad infinitum

How can these people do so much bad in the name of good? Because we don't say no. We never fight these ridiculous diktats, we moan and complain that it's H&S gone mad, then we bend over. Even worse, some people, like the hideous crone in this story, actually invite them in and demand they take away another little piece of freedom and fun, just because they have an irrational fear of something, or they simply want their fifteen minutes of fame.

PARENTS of a four-year-old girl have spoken of their horror at discovering that children at Driffield Church of England Infant School have been given concrete blocks to play with.

Picture a concrete block in your minds eye.

Is this what you were imagining?

Available for adult fun. Willing to travel

I thought not.

During a parents’ open day at the school, on Cross Hill, Annette Deighton-Haywood was taken into the playground by her daughter Madeleine where she spotted a plastic box full of grey blocks.
At first she thought they were made of sponge but was shocked to discover they were real concrete blocks, each one weighing 1.6kg.
Former school governor, Mrs Deighton-Haywood, of Southwood Park, said there were also plastic drain pipes, used motorbike tyres and wooden planks in a sand-strewn area of the playground where the children were free to play.

Look at the scary wording. A children's sand pit, the stuff of fun and frolics for fun loving children for many a year, is a 'sand strewn area'. A space set aside for creative children's activities is a place where children are 'free to play'. Scary stuff that. Children having fun and learning at the same time? Something should be done!

Comparing the play area to a “building site”...

 It wasn't until you added your builders arse to the mix

 ...Mrs Deighton-Haywood and her husband David have called for an immediate inspection by the local education authority or Health and Safety Executive...

 There it is, call in the jobsworths.

...amid fears that their daughter’s life is in danger.

 Seriously? How is your little precious' life in danger from a few practical play items?

“If she dropped it or if someone else did, or if someone hit her with it that’s enough to kill someone,” Mrs Deighton-Haywood said.

If she dropped one, that's enough to kill a person? Someone needs a big dose of reality, methinks.

“I would like the education authority or Health and Safety Executive to come in and remove them because my daughter is in danger while she’s in that school with these items,” she added.

What a wonderful parent. Your daughter is having fun at school, creating and learning with practical objects while under the supervision of teachers? How lucky she is to have you take that away from her.

Dad David, who is a PCSO...

That speaks volumes

said he was “horrified” when his wife brought home one of the blocks to show him.

Surely if he is a plastic copper, he should have reported her for theft?

“You wouldn’t let a kid play with knives so why concrete blocks?” he said.

Erm, because knives have very sharp edges. Bricks don't. Is this really the level of intelligence of the average Community bobby?

Public bodies are rarely apologetic, but in this case the school is correct in dismissing this nonsense

Sue Thackray, who took over as headteacher at Driffield Infant School in September last year, has defended the use of the blocks as helping children “create their own environments” by “building with real things”.
“Since September, staff and governors at Driffield Infant School have worked hard to develop a high quality outdoor play area in line with good early years practice and in accordance with best practice Early Years Foundation Stage policy.”
“All developments are covered by health and safety policy and have been agreed and supported by the school’s governing body. Our aim is to provide a learning environment that is stimulating and real and where our children can have a go, be adventurous and creative based on first-hand experience.

See. This play area is even endorsed by some PC government mumbo jumbo claptrap. It must be ok.

“The children absolutely love the area, especially building with real things.

Sorry but in this day and age, children must absolutely never be allowed to do anything they love.

Mrs Double-Barrel and her Hi Vis husband are just as bad as the jobsworths who have been making average peoples lives a misery for the past fifteen years. It's time to say no to these people. It's time to give them the scorn and derision they deserve. I feel sorry for the children growing up in that family.