manxman34

There is also a danger of unconscious bias against unknown groups, so that argument doesn’t wash either, I’m afraid

It’s interesting that you expect teachers to produce good exam results. When I took exams at school and later university the onus was on me to achieve the result. When did it become the responsibility of the teachers? Or are they just responsible for poor results with pupils taking the credit for high achievement?

OK, Cueball

Your spelling is the least of the problems, when considered alongside your silly assertion that hypochondria is the 'biggest problem'. A funding crisis, a staff crisis, a mental health crisis, the challenges these pose are serious, but you prefer to criticise people for going to the ED when you have no knowledge of their conditions or needs, or the shortcomings elsewhere that have driven them to attend.

Hypochondria is an anxiety disorder: it is not a 'disease', and 'decease' is unlikely.

Hasn't taken long for old racist jokes to re-emerge, either

Given the press coverage, 'Spaniels' would be better

If you can't bore people at the pub you'll have to do it on here, I suppose.

Closing the pubs today - Where will people go to sit complaining they can't afford to pay their bills?

Edge was responding to pressure from parents - no one at DESC will have cared one way or the other. Dates are traditionally a low level task done by a secretary with little consultation with schools or parents, so perhaps the procedure should be reviewed. Some parents regard schools as a free child minding service which they are not. Affordable child minding could be state subsidised, or people who can't afford kids could refrain from producing them, but using schools for the purpose is ridiculously expensive.

Paul Craine used to do the data: he left. Those now at department are civil servants who don't understand education, and failed teachers who can't do data, hence the delay. They've probably had to second a senior manager from one of the secondary schools.

Good thing about the Isle of Man? Somewhere Josem can't get elected.

There seem to be far fewer visitors for MGP this year. One church cafe that is normally very busy has takings so low that they probably won't open next year. Have the government's massaged figures come out yet?

Serves you right for calling them sneakers