Crannóggy Island

In March this year, the government published details of a review that would lead to statutory guidance on “New Relationships, Sex, Health and Education” (RSHE). This was in response to “disturbing reports that inappropriate material is being taught in some schools” and a review is needed “to make sure all children are protected from inappropriate content in all cases, even if many schools already teach RSHE and engage parents in a positive way.” Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan said at the time: "I am deeply concerned about reports of inappropriate lessons being taught in schools.  This urgent review will get to the heart of how RSHE is currently taught and should be taught in the future. This will leave no room for any disturbing content, restore parents’ confidence, and make sure children are even better protected.  The letter makes clear that parents should be able to view all curriculum materials, and that parents can ask to see material if it has not already been sh...

HJ has posted on this at the time of trial and sentencing:  Woman Jailed for Killing Her Baby - Special Pleading, Outrage and Deflection Carla Foster was jailed in June for taking pills which claimed the life of stillborn Lily at 32 weeks. Yesterday, t he 44-year-old woman won her appeal against her prison term. Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Lord Justice Holroyde and Mrs Justice Lambert, said Foster's sentence would be reduced to 14 months and that it should be suspended. She said: "This is a very sad case, not least because of the length of the gestation when the offence was committed ... It is a case that calls for compassion, not punishment, and where no useful purpose is served by detaining Ms Foster in custody." Dame Victoria added there was " exceptionally strong mitigation" in Foster's case and that she should be released from prison " immediately" . News of the change in Foster's sentence has, on one side, triggered fresh calls to...

  The Church of England decided a few months ago to adopt a compromise position on same-sex unions. While maintaining its prohibition of same-sex marriage, it will allow its priests/ministers to “bless" these unions. It will not mandate such blessings; the choice of whether to bless or not to bless these will be left to individual ministers. This arrangement is a compromise between twenty centuries of Christian tradition and the spirit of the age. This approach is now prevalent across many Catholic dioceses in Western Europe. Pope Francis has just appointed Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández as head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal-elect Fernández has expressed reservations regarding the Church's prohibition on same-sex blessings - or, at least its wording - and has undertaken to reassess this so that it is in conformity with the “recent Magisterium” of the Church. The current position is laid out in the 2021 reply to the query, “Does the Church h...

Happy Jack hereby declares July 8th to be: World Wide Illeism Pride Day . Illeism is the act of referring to oneself in the third person instead of first person. A few years back Happy Jack was banned from a site for using this style of rhetoric - it was described as "smug" and "pompous" . Once again, Happy Jack's use of this ancient style has been questioned on a blog. This time, the blog owner described it as "odd" and "confusing".  So what is wrong with illeists? Many people who hear someone engaging in it often perceive the individual as an "oddball". Are we smug, annoying people? Are we psychologically disordered egoists or narcissists? Others suggest there is a link between illeism and asperger’s syndrome. Although such reactions are understandable as folk are not accustomed to people referring to themselves using their own name, is it reasonable? From Wiki: Psychological studies show that thinking and speaking of on...

  What's on your mind?