but why has there been a spate of disappearing education threads?

[tattifer]

Everytime a supportive thread starts about the negative experiences of alternative education it gets wiped/disappeared and done away with - why?

Were my limericks that bad?

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

No, they were lovely limericks . Some feel rather threatened at the idea that the truth will get out regarding badly managed schools based on a strange 'spiritual science' that leaves children vunerable to abuse and badly educated.
In a frantic attempt to cover up all the bad experiences posted here, and elsewhere on the internet, many threats of legal action against those telling their experiences takes place (or the sites publishing these experiences, eg, MN), or just generally making out that those with bad experiences are somewhat mad.

[tattifer]

But how can anyone threaten legal action when people are telling the truth?!

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

They threaten Mumsnet, which are the publishers of anything we write here. So it is fair enough that MN don't want the hassle.
It would be fair to think the threats are made of the basis of fear of the truth getting out.
Also, those that create blogs about their experiences are equally hounded but in a different way, by others writing rather horrible things about them online, making out their experiences are the result of their own problems with their personality, or being a difficult individual...

[tattifer]

So shouldn't the ones shouting libel be the ones who are actually being sued for libel? Or is it all down to money?

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

Threads deleted for a quiet life perhaps? Nobody IS being sued that I know of, but there has previously been threats.

[tattifer]

But that's disgraceful.

The safety of kids is at stake and people are worried about their image?

We need a lawyer!

[tattifer]

Just a thought - my first experience of er, alternative education named after a famous anthroposophist was looking at paintings done by a class of children - they were all the same... Stepford kids! It was chilling.

It's also true - anyone wants to sue?

[Yurtgirl]

Hi Tattifer and Manatee

Did the Journo thread get deleted? It seems to have disappeared - what happened?

I think it is worth bearing in mind the chaos and hassle that occurred for MN and its founders a couple of years ago! The reasons for that are often referred to as "she who must not be named" now, so sensitive is the issue

here - a five figure sum of money isnt really worth risking is it?!?!

Obviously censorship is a pain, wrong etc. I totally agree with you on this but the risks for MNHQ are probably to great to ignore

[Yurtgirl]

Is is possible to suppose that if we dont mention the well known RS certain other people wont find this thread?

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

It is sad indeed, I do totally agree with Mumsnet deleting the threads in that situation, it is not really for them to make a stand and risk getting sued huge amounts of money. Hopefully the little loophole that makes MN the publishers of all individuals write here will one day be scrapped, and then 'they' can try and challenge the wrath of those that have had such awful experiences, and who would, I suspect, be more than happy to see them try to sue us!

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

Ah yes Yurtgirl you may be right in saying that without a certain name, 'google alerts' () won't lead certain people here!

[tattifer]

Hi Yurtgirl

I figure if we stick to talking about our experiences - the support value in sharing experiences being the point - without mentioning specifically gnomes etc we may get away with it. We could even widen the discussion (without going off topic) to include the problems of choosing independent schools that are unregulated by ofsted and the ways and means to being failings to official notice...

Would that work?

[tattifer]

In that cas manatee - shall we voluntarily ban the w word, the s word, the r word and the big hard to say when you're drunk a word?

[Yurtgirl]

Its worth a try!

But not guranteed if they use the mumsnet search facility.............

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

Yes, I think that would be a good discussion, and I am genuinely interested whether other people have had poor experiences at any independent schools, and the rather difficult (or impossible) reporting procedure. I say this following my phonecall to the Dept for children, schools and families, who Ofsted pointed me in the direction of, (as they cannot directly deal with complaints about independant schools, the skeptic in me thinks 'handy for the school?') and who basically dissmissed me.

[Yurtgirl]

Yes yes tattifer, lets invent our own secret code - then we will be as 'alternative' as they are

[tattifer]

Given the case you are talking about there I find it shocking. That the mother is in denial is one thing, that the school has been complicit in tidying it away is disgraceful.

[Judy1234]

If you want to pubils those comments then just set up a web site and accept posts to it and take that legal risk.

Independent schools? I've had 5 children in some of the best in the country for the last 20 years and they are marvellous, copied the world over as a model. Also a paying paernt can vote with their feet and remove a child. A bad school will not attract children.

[toddlerama]

???? Can anyone give me a clue? Honestly I have one day off lurking and I have no idea what this is about! And it sounds quite important...

[tattifer]

Xenia - yes indeed. Mount House School near Tavistock is a very fine independent school. A distant ancestor of my children founded Harrow - all very pleasing. My ex went to Charterhouse - again, very fine.

[Yurtgirl]

toddlerama - We are delberately trying not to mention certain words, as those words will attract certain individuals who tend to hunt the web looking for discussions involving the words we are deliberately not mentioning!

I hope that explanation makes a bit of sense!

Tbh if this thread makes no sense at all to you - that pretty much sums up what we are talking about

[Judy1234]

The trouble is that that is commonly done both by those seeking to prevent illegal libels and those seeking to stifle illegitimate debate. One cult has often followed a similar strategy. You can get round it by setting up your own site and there are masses of dotsucks sites on line for people who do want to disparage a particular entity but most web sites who aren't really making money from the postings can't afford to get involved. It's simpler just to take down material than get into an argument over whether the post is illegal or not.

[tattifer]

"illegitimate debate"

is that a freudian slip xenia?

[tattifer]

Besides - we're not looking to disparage. We want to talk about shared experiences that have in some cases, shaken our confidence in what we thought was right for our children.

We thought we were making informed choices about their education, only to find in some cases suggestions of mis or disinformation.

[MANATEEequineOHARA]

Xenia, unfortunately individual sites that tell of indiviuals experiences in these schools tend to just suffer really quite horrible bullying tactics.
Such as naming individuals that have posted and where they live and describing them as akin to terrorists (I can't remember exactky the description now, but it was something like Hamas!).
Or saying that the person is basically, mad.