Those who live outside the UK - how is your school connected

Discussion of the SES's satellite organisations in the USA.
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Free Thinker
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Those who live outside the UK - how is your school connected

Postby Free Thinker » Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:22 pm

I recently spoke to someone who was told my a Senior member of the NYC school that that school is a totally separate entity from the London school.

I told her that it was "bullshit", to quote myself, but didn't go into so much detail.

I think it's very telling that she was told this. Because as far as I experienced, this couldn't be farther from the truth.

IME, everything was top down, coming down from the current leader of the London school. The rules, the teaching, the hierarchy, etc. all came from McLaren and then Lambie. At residentials, the English tutors were always at the lead of the meetings, and were given preferential treatment. They were always referred to, and the material comes from England.

As far as I could tell, no US decisions (anything major) were made without approval from London.

Sure, the school wasn't run exactly like the one in London - the US has a different culture after all, but there isn't any way that you could say it was separate.

How about those of you in other countries? (bella, ADG, Erik, etc.)

AntonR
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Postby AntonR » Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:15 am

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Last edited by AntonR on Wed May 17, 2006 9:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

Goblinboy
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Postby Goblinboy » Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:27 am

In any closed discusion, School of Philosophy people in Australia were adamant that their organisation looked to London for leadership and support. There was regular traffic of "Senior" people from London to the Australian SOP, including David Boddy, who were fawned over by the clearly less senior Australians. The "stillness" of the people from London was spoken of in awed tones. The primary schools' curricula mirror that of St James.

Gandalf described the apparent relationship between the SES parts and their dynamics memorably in http://www.whyaretheydead.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=329&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

Anybody know if Gandalf's still part of the SES?

Gandalf wrote:At the heart of the SES structure is a weasel double standard. When it suits for promotional or propaganda purposes or when London decrees the SES presents itself as a single centrist global organisation. But as soon as there is any kind of problem or legal issue the schools instanstaneously morph into a myriad standalone 'unconnected' entities. Dvaita on demand.

The ethical dishonesty of ducking in and out of a collective brand may be modelled on other ideologies and organisations, perhaps even established religions, but that does not make the behaviour any less devious.

Looking at the recent postings and particularly the grandiloquent ?Waterperry declaration? referred to by FT in this string epitomises both the pretence at unity and the pretence of concern for issues outside its own small world. (pace Art in Action)

FT said:

Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 5:33 pm

"The Waterperry Declaration -2003 from some conference the "ES" part of the school had recently regarding the world's poverty, free trade, etc. I found their statements to be pretty much on line with what I believe in, and rather liberal.
Now of course, how this relates to a school where all service is done FOR the school, and not for people who TRULY need service, I'm not sure.
But it's a great first step! Here's a link to the declaration.
http://www.schooleconomicscience.org/new/economics/economics-dec.htm



Well FT it sounds great and we can all feel warm about it like we can about G8 announcements about world poverty etc. It is nice that you feel it is ?a great first step?. However, if you analyse the wording of the Waterperry Declaration carefully all you get is an expression sentiments which are as wordy as they are worthy but phrased in such a way as not to rock any political or ideological boats or make the SES in any way controversial.

The ?Declaration? does not commit the SES to anything or any action in the public domain that might provoke public scrutiny and , as all can see, the SES will go to any lengths to avoid that. The ?declaration? is in fact the last step in the process masquerading as the first. It has no external focus and is articulated merely to induce a feelgood glow of righteousness in the departing attendees.

FT If you were able to scratch the SES accounts a little more deeply you might well also find the Declaration was issued as an output device to justify the SES paying for airfares, food and accommodation for the legally ?unconnected? School Leaders from across the globe to come for a two month residential at Waterperry serviced by SES drones presided over by the ?Capo di tutti I Capi?.

But perhaps Lambie?s real inclinations in regard to the SES relations with the 'outside' world were revealed the day he came metaphorically bounding into a meeting (it was some years ago ? the cares of office mean he doesn?t bound any more, even metaphorically) to announce he had found a wonderful new adjective ?STREUTHEOUS- which means ?ostrich-like, predisposed to bury one?s head in the sand?. Right on.

AntonR
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Postby AntonR » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:44 am

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Postby a different guest » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:58 am

Each School pays for the Leader, Lambie or MacLaren before him for the privilege of his presence in their midst.


ooooh, it's a bit like how the Australian taxpayer pays for royal visit from the Queen and fam!


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