Youth PCC Resigns - Who is paying the salary

MacMickster

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Am just wondering if being a teenager from 1960 to 1967 has some bearing on my views (and I don't mean that I'm old and out of touch now, although of course I am all of that), but that the period was a time of aspiring to peace and love, etc, with the music of the time being about tolerance, love, and sweetness, and with the Feminist movement becoming active. Racism was frowned on by the young as being something that old people were guilty of.

I am quite sure, however, that racial, sexual and religious intolerance were far greater throughout not only the 60s but the 70s and 80s too than they are now. The 60s were probably an era of post-war idealism, and whilst the youth of the 60s considered themselves as tolerant and reformist, few would consider inter-racial marriage for example (which raises few eyebrows now).

What generally would you say that the attitudes of schoolchildren were to others who were different from themselves in the 60s, whether due to race, weight, disability, illegitimacy, accent, wealth etc? Sadly, I remember a classmate who required leg braces being nicknamed "Spacker" throughout his time at school, and another from a then almost unheard of "one parent family" who was nicknamed "Baz".

Children are cruel, but most (sadly not all) mature to be much better adults.

The 60s may have set us on a path, but should not be viewed as some sort of utopian tolerant society. Generally, adults today are far more tolerant than in those days.

Whilst I have no strong views in respect of this one young girl, I remain concerned that our children will be judged in their adult life based on their words and actions whilst still immature.

Jennifer_Jane

vivatifosi wrote: »

Per the BBC, the reported tweets were made between the ages of 14 and 16. Elsewhere I've seen that she was appointed to the job last week and hadn't started yet. It's conceivable that she may have had a job while at school in common with many other kids.

If the BBC is wrong and she did make tweets while in the role that would be totally out of order.

Yes, agree. And actually the words used would indicate a different job.

What appalling interview skills Ann Barnes has. She seems to be amazingly out of touch with how to employ anyone. I thought ALL employers these days were checking social media, let alone a job which is designed to be high profile, to be one of working with various types of young people, various races, and various sexual preferences (and older ones too - she needed to be able to talk to the police after all to advise them - what credibility would she have in talking to, say, a Black copper about young Black people?).

Whatever you think of this girl (and I stand by my views) Ann Barnes is responsible for this stunt and shows awful judgment and a huge lack of sense and sensibility.

lostinrates

Sorry, jj, I have always known you were a better person than I am, but really I can think of a very large handful (if you have very big hands) of things I said and did at her age, and not just her age but rather into my early twenties that would be deeply embarrassing to me now.

Tbh, I still foul up regularly but at least less regularly.

The girl has had it made extremely clear to her now the power of words. I find it horrendous that an adult population will turn on someone of such young years and the idea of watching it play out on social media now actually makes my skin crawl. Never have I been more glad not to partake.

This girl is still forming her adult identity. This shame could be a very terrible downward spiral. I certainly know mistakes I made at that age lead me to make more and more and some bad choices that could have impacted into adulthood.

I have not seen the comments in more detail than they are here. Calling the cast of a reality tv show a politically incorrect and offensive name isn't nice, but I don't think it's uncommon at all. It's an age where bravado is lived out as much by running others down as big fish stories, in a society, where, like it or not, we use a lot of offensive language and are fairly morbidly interested in the lives of others (the amount of reality tv and ' freak show' viewing is testament to that). I learned recently there is a reality tv show about people watching tv.

Jennifer_Jane

MacMickster wrote: »

I am quite sure, however, that racial, sexual and religious intolerance were far greater throughout not only the 60s but the 70s and 80s too than they are now. The 60s were probably an era of post-war idealism, and whilst the youth of the 60s considered themselves as tolerant and reformist, few would consider inter-racial marriage for example (which raises few eyebrows now).

What generally would you say that the attitudes of schoolchildren were to others who were different from themselves in the 60s, whether due to race, weight, disability, illegitimacy, accent, wealth etc? Sadly, I remember a classmate who required leg braces being nicknamed "Spacker" throughout his time at school, and another from a then almost unheard of "one parent family" who was nicknamed "Baz".

Children are cruel, but most (sadly not all) mature to be much better adults.

The 60s may have set us on a path, but should not be viewed as some sort of utopian tolerant society. Generally, adults today are far more tolerant than in those days.

Whilst I have no strong views in respect of this one young girl, I remain concerned that our children will be judged in their adult life based on their words and actions whilst still immature.

I went to a secondary modern in a Midlands town (and primary schools in the West Country and Midlands) and don't recall any bullying or discrimination, although it certainly wasn't a "refined" place to be (and I had a posh accent from a Naval background and had lived in different countries - I would have been ripe for bullying). My best friend at primary school was Indian, I cannot remember anyone thinking of her as "different". I used to take (ie wheel) a child who was terribly, terribly disabled to my school, and again I can remember no comments or bullying, or anyone questioning this at all - I certainly didn't. There were plenty of children who had had polio when I was at school, so certainly children who had suffered.


Seems I was lucky!

lostinrates

michaels wrote: »

her on TV and thought snotty nosed toff ?

I saw her too, but these words did not appear in my appraisal of her. Maybe I saw someone else and was confused? Toff certainly was very wide of the mark of the girl I saw.


Even we as adults, considering our selves fairly 'reasonable' have drawn some pretty intolerant conclusions. Which is relevant and interesting, even if our conclusions were not the same.

lostinrates

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

I went to a secondary modern in a Midlands town (and primary schools in the West Country and Midlands) and don't recall any bullying or discrimination, although it certainly wasn't a "refined" place to be (and I had a posh accent from a Naval background and had lived in different countries - I would have been ripe for bullying). My best friend at primary school was Indian, I cannot remember anyone thinking of her as "different". I used to take (ie wheel) a child who was terribly, terribly disabled to my school, and again I can remember no comments or bullying, or anyone questioning this at all - I certainly didn't. There were plenty of children who had had polio when I was at school, so certainly children who had suffered.


Seems I was lucky!

I think you were. I am younger than you, have been to a number of schools, most of which have decent reputation. I have seen some form of intolerance in most of them. The least unpleasant and most inclusive was a very, very posh school in London I attended for just a few months as a very small child.

ILW

Having heard a couple of interviews with Ann Barnes, I am amazed that she has not also resigned. She is truly awful.

michaels

I'll try again. In the name of 'tolerance and inclusiveness' we seem to be delivering a typical daily mail backlash against what is only 'real' teenage behavoiur, saying things that are controversial to seem 'big' to one's mates is hardly unusual.

The vast majority of teenagers are pretty well behaved and socially adjusted...and to be honest they are not a huge issue for the law enforcement community. Where the police need to build more rapport is with the community where they are naturally seen as 'the enemy' not to trusted, those who drink cider, hang around on street corners and ride mini-motos. I can't see any point in having a 'youth commissioner' if it is not to gain rapport with these groups.

Yes they could appoint a girl scout model citizen role model but I can't see what good that would do.

ozzage

This girl is, basically, completely normal and said what are completely normal things for people her age to say! Ironically she was probably a very good choice to advise how normal adolescents think and act (although I'm unconvinced that her hair is representative)

Anybody who thinks that most teenagers don't use words like "fag" is living in dreamland, and I wouldn't assume that this girl is homophobic because of it.

Kids just say stupid things. I said some shocking things over time as a teenager, often simply without thinking and sometimes really cruel and definitely racist/homophobic/discriminatory, but I'm none of those things in reality and wasn't as a teenager either. Often I just wanted to impress people or be funny and those topics make it easy.

The difference is that they weren't on twitter. But if we'd had twitter then, they may well have been!

CLAPTON

17 is rather young to know a lot.

She may well have a good knowledge of her friends at school and her immediate cicle.
I doubt that makes her an authority on what 'youth' in general think.

A totally pointless job which hopefully will stay unfilled.

It shows a lack of judgement to give a high profile job to any 17 year old, when (lets face it) there are lots of people just waiting for her to fail.