Mark Andrews on Saturday: Traditional education, a novel approach to crime-fighting, and why Halloween is getting out of hand
Is it me, or is Halloween getting a bit out of hand this year? I walked past a house near where I live which was totally decked out in macabre decorations. Synthetic cobwebs everywhere, plastic spiders, banners, the full shebang. They must have spent hours – and a fair bit of money – making it look like something out of a Hammer horror movie. And what's wrong with that, you might ask. But this was a fortnight ago. Don't they know Halloween is just one day?
Meanwhile, the King's Head pub in Sudbury, Suffolk, has been accused of racism for hanging an effigy resembling one of the Black and White Minstrels from a noose on the sign outside. The pub denies the claim, saying the dark football was all they had to make the head, and that the straw boater is entirely co-incidental. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. But did it never ever occur to them that stringing up effigies of anyone from a pub sign is not exactly the height of good taste?
A by-election is being held for a new police commissioner in North Yorkshire, after the previous one resigned five months into the job. Philip Allott had responded to the Sarah Everard murder by suggesting women should be 'streetwise' and challenge police officers if they are stopped. Perish the naive idea that police officers should be law-abiding pillars of the community rather than potential rapists.
Anyway, in the race to replace him is Anna Semlyen, a 51-year-old ex-councillor turned online "adult entertainment" star, who reads smutty poetry wearing just Covid masks to protect her modesty. This job attracts some quality candidates, doesn't it? If elected, she pledges to use her channel to raise the profile of important policing matters.
Still, this might not be an entirely bad thing. I would be particularly keen for Anna to start whipping and flogging litter louts, graffiti vandals and fly-posters on her channel. It would be more effective than a £30 fine.
King Alfred School, a new private school in Dudley, is promising pupils the type of classical education enjoyed by the likes of Winston Churchill and William Shakespeare. Times tables, correct grammar, and scientific facts. Critical thinking, logic and Christian values. The sort of things you would expect in all schools, not just those whose parents can pay for the privilege.
Meanwhile, the four main teaching unions have written to the Education Secretary demanding the 'climate crisis' is added to the National Curriculum. Which would, presumably mean less time teaching the things that will actually help youngsters get on in life. Unless, of course they are volunteering to teach it in their own time...
