TheParagon-Education

Dear (Conservative MP)

Thank you for your E-News email, however I would like to take this opportunity to discuss another matter.
I am a male of xx years of age living in xxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxx in a Council Property.

Since the 1970's, I came away from the school system with very little in terms of qualifications and it was in the days of Margaret Thatcher, I was told by the Government (irrelevant to the party); to work hard, to obtain qualifications. This is what I did.

I managed to find some work, but it was short lived due to cutbacks, strikes, streamlining etc. I am sure you can reflect on this period within our history. Every decision I made was affected by new Government legislation and the moving of the goalposts. I diversified into whatever was available and took every opportunity to become more qualified in whatever discipline. Within my late twenties I was married and because of unemployment I lost my house and wife, I was in debt. Any money I earned through short term contracts went to pay off my debt. I needed permanent work.

Over a number of periods of unemployment and finding out that invested monies ploughed into a private pension had been all in vain; as I had lost the lot when certain banks went bust. At this point in-time I knew I would have to work into old age until I dropped, that is if I could get a job. Without full-time employment the picture of my future is grim.

I did marry for a second time and had two children, a girl and boy; they are grown up now. The marriage lasted fourteen years, lived in a three bedroomed council house until my wife decided she had had enough of unemployment and she took her distraction somewhere else with a xxxxxt xxxxxxx, ironic really. I also lost my council house due to it being under occupied. I live in a one bedroomed rented flat now.
I don't see my daughter as she thinks I'm a failure, I do see my son and he is slowly coming around to understanding the realities of life.

On recollection of my employment, one school I worked for on supply contracts; summed up behaviour in schools and today's morals and bureaucratic lack of common sense . I went into teach a class, some of the pupils were graded autistic, during the lesson I became aware of this. 80% of the period was classroom management and the remaining 20% teaching. During one lesson; I ended up disarming a pupil with a knife and ended up being arrested and taken to a police station, questioned and months later, going to court accused of assault and battery by four to five twelve to fourteen year olds. The school had a 'no-touch' policy, the long term implication was not being able to work during the proceedings and an entry in 'police-speak' on an Enhanced CRB giving an impression I was a serious health risk….or something like that, making employment even more difficult. Another initiative; that is; was totally mismanaged by bureaucrats.

During my married years, I had to register for bankruptcy; it was either that or starve and freeze.
The reason for unemployment? I am now over qualified! I am a Post-Graduate specialising in the field of Education and in addition, I have other professional qualifications to include over eight NVQ at levels 4-5, and various other professional diplomas from reputable colleges and universities.
In addition to this; (pardon the pun) I unfortunately; have dyscalculia, a form of number blindness, it is similar to dyslexia not that I promote it, or let it stop me in any way. (I use to help people set up in business and explain successfully, spreadsheets to them without any difficulty - the problem is remembering basic maths, weird really, I normally get by, however I need the paperwork now to prove I can do maths, not for the want of trying.) however, because of diversity of disciplines, employers cannot decide in which pigeonhole to put me in.

I don't do drugs, alcohol, I haven't had a holiday for many years, I have given up on Christmas because I cannot afford it and I don't really see the church establishment in a good light at the moment. Now, I have been told, we are experiencing the worst unemployment since the 70s. It does not really matter what year, It has been difficult since the 70s, no matter what party has been in power. 'Power' seems to be the crunch…. 'With power comes corruption' (George Orwell - Animal Farm). Always reminds me of bureaucrats and another statement springs to mind,
'With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility', many a true word said and this statement comes from a most unlikely source. It is believed to come from; most likely a fictional reference (Stan Lee - Marvel Comics - Spiderman) or it is said, another possible source, possibly President Roosevelt. "Great Power Comes Great Responsibility", yes, right!
My last job was with a Training and Recruitment Organisation and I was employed in a 'Permanent' role or so I thought, until the Conservative coalition got in and cut the funding. Last in first out, I was made redundant again after six months.

The present government have introduced new initiatives (jobseekers) for the unemployed and I was enrolled initially with a company within the (West Midlands), half way through this scheme, not sure what else to call it? The term scheme has its own connotations. The goalposts have been moved and I was told I would have to complete and re-enrol onto another initiative. This was later to be identified as another company in the (West Midlands) both miles away from my home. Unfortunately, both initiatives only seem to concentrate on manual workers or non to low qualified. They are not equipped to work with Graduates or Post graduates and the staff are less qualified. It is like 'year 8 pupils teaching the teacher'. It is obvious that more thought needs to be invested in these initiatives as money is being wasted.
The time it takes me to shuffle paper and photocopy, to meet my qualifying one hundred and thirty hours of free labour, (is quite demeaning considering my professional experiences).

Action Plans? What Action Plans….), I can be looking for professional full-time employment, which, as you know is a full-time occupation in itself. The placements these initiatives offer is compulsory; not voluntary work within a charity shops. What benefit is that to me? The position requires me to learn something new! It is like placing a brain surgeon in a sweet shop.

I have worked for nothing, most of my life. All it is; is an excuse for organisations to obtain free labour - 'a form of slavery' as benefits are one-sided. My time is valuable, especially at my age.

I am keeping my head just above water, my car will be off the road early next year (2012) and chances of obtaining work will diminish even more. Thank God that baked beans are cheap, not sure when I had a good meal.

The Governments of the day have let this country down, big-time for what seems to be personal gain or misappropriated projects. The riots, strikes, are ways that the British people can 'shout back' their anger. (We could do an Egypt or Syria, but we are British!) From what we can see, politicians are earning good money, (we have heard the rhetoric from MPs). The public do not see any reductions in salaries. Bankers are laughing at us, an insult to public intelligence, even though some are questionable and the banks are still dictating their bonuses. Some banks (One well known bank in particular are even giving money away in a competition 2011). public, private money? It does send out the wrong message.

Manufacturing is the key, but maybe too late -(closing the gate after the horse has bolted springs to mind). The Government have mismanaged the taxpayers money, period - they now need to account to the people of the United Kingdom.

Obviously there are a number of issues discussed here and may seem to mishmash with current events, however they do interact within everyday life. Factors that have brought on these circumstances, classroom behaviour contributing to highlighting absent moral values, little or no guidance in the way parents bring up their children and the limits and measures of parent's powers to administer appropriate discipline, without the threat of political correctness.
The lowering one's self-confidence and distrust in the system, especially concerning teacher support, one can't help but place some blame of being out of work onto the pupils that were just 'larking about' in a place of personal development and education. (One can now reflect and can understand the future is bleak for many young people and some may have given up due to reconising the failures in the system, their learning needs and barriers, not mentioning their future without work or income), or do I give them more credit than I should and reserve this for the quieter pupil or educated? This is one inner conflict that many teachers experience from time to time.

Politicians have much to answer for.

For me and like many…….I have no purpose and it seems I am disposable. I am educated and I still find myself within the divide of the poor and the wealthy, even in 2025.