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Tuesday 2 September 2014

Hijacking the green agenda


“… we need an economy whose aim it is to facilitate a sustainable world for all; whose success is measured in growth of human happiness…”
http://connect.clubofrome.org/#/living-sphere
The twin concepts of happiness and well-being increasingly feature in international discussions of sustainable development and the future we want. [the future they want]

Many countries are going beyond the rhetoric of quality of life to incorporate practical measures to promote these concepts in their legislation and policy-making. These good practices can inspire other countries so that measuring and accounting for broader well-being, and not simply national income, becomes a universal practice. [going beyond GDP]

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the International Day of Happiness, 20 March 2014

http://www.un.org/en/events/happinessday/
Agenda 21 devolved the task of promoting sustainble development to local governments...local governments were encouraged to `think globally and act locally.`http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/185935081x.pdf 
 How is this being implemented in Scotland? We know that Curriculum for Excellence promotes sustainable development, wellbeing and resilience programmes for children in their schools. Integrated services, in and around the school, have broadened the wellbeing agenda to encompass the local community. Here is another programme being set up:
Education Scotland is excited to be hosting a second community resilience conversation and networking event with a view to developing a shared, partnership approach to provide 3-18 resilience education opportunities.
https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/eslb/2014/08/20/free-community-resilience-conversation-and-networking-event/
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What is being hosted by Education Scotland is `group talk` across professional boundaries to reach a predetermined consensus and is how social change comes about in a `participatory` democracy. GIRFEC has shown the way. Ideas like `resilience, wellbeing, joined up working, integrated services, collaboratives, working in partnership, social inclusion, sustainable communities` are all linked to Agenda 21. It is an agenda which creeps in by stealth by first neutralising the opposition. The claims being made about its potential achievements goes beyond the ridiculous.
This section explores how a risk and resilience model can provide a solid foundation for improving the emotional wellbeing of the whole school community by harnessing the ‘everyday magic of ordinary human resources in the minds, brains and bodies of children, in their families and relationships and in their communities’.

Off the scale as far as grandiosity goes. So what are the topics open for discussion in the community resilience conversation, which will be the foundation for improving the emotional wellbeing of the whole school community?
Key contexts for focus include flooding, severe weather and pandemic flu and the impact they can have on communities and how we can take steps to mitigate against their impact through educating learners.
It is difficult to see what all the excitement was about until one remembers that climate change is a hot topic for Curriculum for Excellence and there is currently a public health promotion for children to be given a nasal spray against certain strains of flu. It is a feeble attempt to link sustainable development to wellbeing. To suggest that these indoctrination programmes are rich resilience education opportunities for children which will enhance their emotional wellbeing goes beyond the ridiculous, to the downright dishonest.

Frightening children about climate change and pandemics does not enhance their emotional wellbeing, nor does it provide them with a proper education. The science is not settled for either of these topics but the plan is that children shall be provided with one side of the debate only. It is not difficult to see that the aim is to cultivate an ignorant and compliant population. This particular population will be monitored throughout their lives.

Measuring and accounting for children`s `wellbeing` is underway with GIRFEC. The data gathering begins pre-birth and continues until 18. Ban Ki-moon`s envisioned `universal practice` was presented as necessary in Scotland in order to Get it Right for Every Child. Of course, it had to be presented that way - for children - or no-one would have accepted it, but it is easy to see that after one generation the surveillance system will be firmly in place. It was a deceptive piece of legislation.

Nothing about Agenda 21 is what it says it is. Freedom and autonomy are both essential for good mental health. In any case, history tells us that any government which closely monitors its citizens does not have their wellbeing in mind.
See Turning children green with fear

2 comments:

  1. Sorry Sheila, I`ve got your comment but changed this post. Blogger does not always do what I want, and is a pest. So your comment does not show. (OK I admit I`m not technically minded.)
    Fortunately I have the links, still, and will take my time to read them because I always find your links useful.

    When I began my blog I did not quite know where I was going and did not want to be unduly influenced by anybody. However, I felt that there was something seriously wrong with what was happening with children. Having read thousands of pages of documents, mind numbing in their effect, I realise that no one person could ever get through even a small fraction of the documents still `out there`.

    I`m more convinced than ever that there is something seriously wrong with what is happening to children.

    And I recognise that to make sense of it, there has to be a group effort. So I really appreciate hearing from you.

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  2. Thanks Alice. I Share your unease about being influenced by others. Your continuing research gives me a wee bit hope. This information needs to be out there!

    ReplyDelete