Finally, An Update!

My last update was six months ago. It's been so busy!

I started college studying theology in September. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a Christian who questions a lot of "religion.".

Always hard. I'm a Christian, but I'm not a Christian who aligns with a religious organisation. Despite attending and taking on official roles at a CoE church.

It's difficult. What is written [in the Bible], what is then said within religious organisations, and what is then presented can vary. To the extent that each church, despite supporting a religious organisation, has different practises that align through acts, practises, and community/congregational evangelism preached independently amongst sister churches under the same.

No longer Complicit in Ableism

 

There's many things that disabled people become resigned to. We live in a world designed by and for non disabled.

In 2020 the world watched George Floyd take his last struggling breath in what clearly was a racially systemic action. Whilst we lived, we watched the reality of a negative continued action; this time it sent a ripple of "No more" across the world.

What can only be seen as a revival against oppression George Floyd's death, discrimination and the #BlackLivesMatter movement affected millions of people worldwide. Visibly and emotionally impacting a generation to the core.

As a white man, I will never fully understand what being faced with racism is like. Yet, I will listen fully to those affected by it.

It is for that very reason that I write. I need to speak up with how I'm affected by ableism around me.

End of Home Ed: A New Adventure

When William entered mainstream education (Year R) he started at the top of his class but by the end of the academic year he was bottom.

Behaviourally Will went from being enthusiastic, engaging and carefree to upset, anxious and emotional. He would have massive emotional outbursts heading to school and subsequently needed dragging in.

Within the schooled environment his behaviour become worse. There were incidents between him and other children and his responses were labelled "abnormally aggressive".

As a teacher (and also working with Ofsted) I knew the school's practices and policies that should have been in place to safeguard and support him. However they became defensive and hostile in response to having their flaws highlighted.

William's mum decided that Home Schooling would be the best option.