National Service?

[imamartian]

So Michael Caine thinks it's a good idea....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8354093.stm

do you?

I used to think it was, but not these days. It would probably just make gang a lot better militarilly.
A new sort of social responsibility program instead sounds good, but wouldn't change people, really.

For me the crux is family, as a lot of people have said, but more importantly schools..... Schools should have far more power to discipline as well as educate.

Kids spend far more time at school than they do quality time with their parent(s)... lets use that time to make our future more disciplined, more cohesive, and more interested about being part of this country !

 

[joe-90]

Too late for that. We spent the last 20 years creating these monsters (modern youth), and now we are stuck with them. Uneducated, unemployable. Bit like their parents really. Bet they'll all start popping kids and playing the benefit system like their parents did.

 

[imamartian]

i'm not talking about changing the current, but a plan for future generations... those 2000 idiots are 'in the system'.... lets plan a foundation for the future...

 

[joe-90]

Our future is bleak. The UK is going bust. Better just hang on to your hat and hope you survive.

 

[imamartian]

that's just defeatist Joe... i think we can fix it... Schools is the answer

 

[joe-90]

We are bust, just like Greece, We can't stop borrowing to fuel the benefit society. No money for schools in future.

 

[imamartian]

it doesn't need money, it needs a change in discipline.... that's all

 

[nickso]

National service is a waste of time as a **** deterrent simply because we all know it will never ever be used in the UK again.

It was only in use the UK because of the percieved cold war threat. When did it stop? 1961 or somesuch? It is a throwback to past times and it was never really the British way anyway.

My brother in law did NS in Norway and said it was interesting but only because they love all that back to nature camping in a barren winter wasteland crap anyway.

If you really want a military solution to the UK's ills we just need to post trigger happy afghan vets at major intersections to take out the plebs that need to be culled.

 

[Susiejb]

Schools down here do seem to have a very good program for teaching social responsibility.
I don't know if it happens elsewhere, but in senior school the main 'forms' are made up from children from each year age 11-16, the older children are there as mentors for the younger ones.
The children then go to lessons, but they are mixed around to reduce cliques and so reduce bullying.

Obviously in inner city schools it is much more difficult, especially when apparently half the children don't speak English....personally I admire anyone who takes on a teaching position under these circumstances.