We are failing a generation of boys admits Gordon Brown

**Celtic Druid** · 16th-October-2006

I've poached this encouraging story from Angry Harry's site, I hope he doesn't mind. Gordon Brown "seems" to have a genuine understanding of boys/mens concerns, and will be a breath of fresh air compared to the Tony/Cherie Blair ideological freak show.

I'm not a labour supporter, I despise the party and their socialist vision of utopia. However, given a choice between him and Blair as leader, Brown wins hands down, as this severs Cherie Blairs despotic stranglehold on labour policy, which has so blighted mens rights in the UK.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...own/article.do

We are failing a generation of boys admits Gordon Brown

12.10.06

A generation of boys is being "wasted" by serious failings in schools and society, Gordon Brown has warned.

The Chancellor said underachievement among boys had become an "acute problem" and said the rise of single parent families meant too many no longer had good male role models.

In an extraordinary speech ranging far beyond his traditional Treasury brief, Mr Brown also spoke in highly emotive terms about what he called the "soul of man".

Borrowing from the language of 17th century Protestant religious reformer Gerrard Winstanley, he spoke about a "moral sentiment that animates us as human beings" and would underpin a Government he led.

Attempting to open up clear dividing lines between him and Tory leader David Cameron, Mr Brown attacked the promotion of what he called "self-interested individualism against the encroaching power of civic institutions".

Aides said the Chancellor intended to take head on Mr Cameron's pledge to roll back the state and bring in voluntary organisations to help run public services.

Delivering the annual Donald Dewar memorial lecture in Glasgow, Mr Brown defended the role of the state in "serving the people and communities of the country".

Mr Brown highlighted the plight of Britain's six million carers, who he said wanted local and national government to do more - not less - to help them.

"Carers are not asking for government to get out of the way, to leave them alone," he said.

"Rightly, men and women who are carers want pensions and time off with respite care and an understanding of their financial positions," he said.

"Theirs is not a call for less action by our great national institutions, whether it be on the Health Service to our pensions service. They want us to do more and they are right."

On education, Mr Brown set out a powerful vision of how he intends to transform boys' prospects if he succeeds Mr Blair.

The Chancellor suggested the school curriculum should be tailored to meet the different needs of boys and girls and called for a "fathers' revolution" at home.

He said fathers must become "directly involved" in their children's learning and schooling and said more should be enabled to work "flexi-time" following the birth of a child.

"This is more important given the threefold increase in one-parent families over 30 years - and too often boys' loss of contact with male role models," Mr Brown insisted.

Mr Brown and Education Secretary Alan Johnson are to order a review of how teaching methods and the curriculum are tailored to boys' particular needs.

"Boys and girls appear to learn in different ways and at different paces," the Chancellor said.

"Boys get bored easily, tend to respond more to activity-based learning, flourish where there is access to computers and need clear targets.

"We must never accept the existence of a wasted generation of boys."

Girls now decisively outperform boys at all levels of the school system up to the sixth form.

The gender gap widens during primary school and by the age of 14, girls have opened up a massive lead in English and a slight advantage in maths and science.

This year, 80 per cent of girls passed national curriculum tests in English compared with just 65 per cent of boys.

Mr Brown said 61 per cent of girls went on to get five or more good GCSEs, against 51 per cent of boys.

Boys who struggled academically or came from backgrounds with low aspirations often went on to lead "wasted lives", the Chancellor said.

Shadow Education Secretary David Willetts said: 'Gordon Brown has belatedly come to realise that the gap between girls' and boys' achievement at school is a big problem, and he is quite right to focus on it.

"His words are a refreshing change from those of Alan Johnson, who seems rather more complacent.

"The problem is not getting better, and if anything it has got worse over the last nine years. We need fresh ideas on how we tackle it, but sadly it seems Gordon Brown offers just more of the same."

**Yan Yan** · 16th-October-2006

Weasel words from a weasel, CD.

Gordon Brown knows as much about boys' education as as three-toed sloth knows about alpine flowers. It makes a change from Blair who tries to pretend that the issue tugs his heartstrings, while he doesn't give a toss.

It's a machine. Crude rubbish goes in and polished rubbish comes out.

Ordinary men need to take over. If they're just content to drink beer, watch football, and work for arrogant women, then either Blair's or Brown's promises are enough to keep it ticking over.

Sad innit??

**Celtic Druid** · 16th-October-2006

Quote from Yan Yan

Weasel words from a weasel, CD.

Gordon Brown knows as much about boys' education as as three-toed sloth knows about alpine flowers. It makes a change from Blair who tries to pretend that the issue tugs his heartstrings, while he doesn't give a toss.

It's a machine. Crude rubbish goes in and polished rubbish comes out.

Ordinary men need to take over. If they're just content to drink beer, watch football, and work for arrogant women, then either Blair's or Brown's promises are enough to keep it ticking over.

Sad innit??

Given recent revelations which transpired regarding Mr Browns reluctance to commit to 'the war in Iraq' and whereby he only did so when threatened with the sack, leads me to conclude - coupled with the fact he recently has become a father, lends in my mind a leaning towards optimism rather than pessimism.

However, even if all this bravado does not come to positive fruition regarding mens concerns, the departure of Cherie Blair on it's own will be some small consolation.

**Fred X** · 16th-October-2006

I hate Blair

And I don't trust Brown one bit - he's never bothered sticking his neck out for men before - so it remains to be seen if he will do a damn thing to help men in this country

I'd also add his wife is patron of Women's Aid

So the alarm bells are already ringing

At this moment in time- I'm unconvinced

**bola** · 16th-October-2006

I can't imagine Brown winning the election against Cameron. Isn't the British electorate a bit tired of Labour? I get the impression they are. Also, as I said in another thead: Brown is a Big Government type of politician. He believes in intervening. We don't want more interventions, we want the government to leave our personal affairs alone.

**Fred X** · 16th-October-2006

Bola wrote:

I can't imagine Brown winning the election against Cameron. Isn't the British electorate a bit tired of Labour?

It doesn't matter which one wins- men will lose out

In fact- Cameron will bring nothing but misery to us with his mangina tendancies and pro-woman preachings

No- it really doesn't matter which puppet we vote in- men will lose out BIG TIME

Just as we have been doing for years now

The only way the government will change is if there is a major public backlash against it

It really is in the hands of man

**Dr David Banner** · 17th-October-2006

We will see if Brown does anything about it.
I doubt he will there may be a few cosmetic measures.Fundamentally the labour party is feminist
infested and irrelevant to working class men if only they knew it.So its a bit like Hitler handing a few sweets to jewish children while gassing their parents.

Most western countries are in the grip of feminism,regardless of party no politicians care until it is a threat to their power.

Fredx

The only way the government will change is if there is a major public backlash against it

This is inevitable.The minister for justice in Ireland has been warned by mens organisations repeatedly. Robbed of jobs homes treated like dirt innocent men in jail the state has grown at mens expense.They have made a mess and they have wrecked lives,corrupt lawyers state funded feminist parasites.The femi -media- exposed as liars and biased bigots will be brought to book as well.

We will witness that backlash soon.The next rash of antimale laws is another step towards that backlash.Nearly 30 years of feminist injustice and slander has a price.
Bitter? I am VERY !!!! I am now middle aged with failing health, and I DGAF about death but I hope I live to see those in power getting the shock of their lives.
I used be left leaning now I have no political leanings whatsoever I detest all parties.I look forward to seeing them fall flat on there faces.

**Fred X** · 17th-October-2006

Brad - I am certain a backlash will occur

The thing is - we must always urge men to engage in that backlash, as we cannot allow complacency or the mentality 'I don't need to act as others will for me'

Yes, men will start to rebel against the government due to the bombardment of discrimination and anti-male legislation - but they must act sooner rather than later

Men need to get clued up and read our sites/blogs/forums- and they need those in the know (us) to promote them

Like you - I want to be around when the feminazi scum are held accountable like the criminals that they are

**badguy** · 17th-October-2006

Well, I'm afraid the only backlash that we're getting is Al Qaeda. They're the only one attacking the feminist West, right? And don't they complain about the same social problems as we do?

**bola** · 17th-October-2006

Quote from badguy

Well, I'm afraid the only backlash that we're getting is Al Qaeda. They're the only one attacking the feminist West, right? And don't they complain about the same social problems as we do?

Yeah, let's join al qaeda, and jump out of the frying pan, into the fire. You see, that's the tricky thing here. Remember that the conservatives and the church made an alliance with hitler? Their main concern was the rise of communism. Anything was better than that, they felt. In our determination to push back feminism we may make alliances with conservative and religious organisations that are just as tyrannical in the end.

**Tyrael** · 17th-October-2006

"This is more important given the threefold increase in one-parent families over 30 years - and too often boys' loss of contact with male role models," Mr Brown insisted.

Yes and what about changing the family court, marriage, divorce laws etc to reduce this negative trend.

Mr Brown and Education Secretary Alan Johnson are to order a review of how teaching methods and the curriculum are tailored to boys' particular needs.

"Boys and girls appear to learn in different ways and at different paces," the Chancellor said.

"Boys get bored easily, tend to respond more to activity-based learning, flourish where there is access to computers and need clear target."

Indeed boys and girls are not the same, they have overal different interests and require different learning styles so that they can perform best.

I'm glad that he wants to do something to solve the problems that young males have. It remains to be seen how his words turn into deeds.

**bola** · 17th-October-2006

This is typical for the left, first they create a problem, then magnanimously come to the rescue. It's like those maniacs who set a building on fire and then help the firefighters to put it out.

**Fred X** · 17th-October-2006

Bola wrote:

This is typical for the left, first they create a problem, then magnanimously come to the rescue. It's like those maniacs who set a building on fire and then help the firefighters to put it out.

Typical of politics in general, and the abuse industry as well

By appearing as though they are doing something, they look better in the publics eyes, and that equals more votes and more power

And gender politics is a big area that the government latches itself onto

I don't believe a word Brown says- he's had more than enough time to fight on the side of males- but, like all MP's, he really doesn't give a shit

**Dr David Banner** · 17th-October-2006

Yeah, let's join al qaeda, and jump out of the frying pan, into the fire. You see, that's the tricky thing here. Remember that the conservatives and the church made an alliance with hitler? Their main concern was the rise of communism. Anything was better than that, they felt. In our determination to push back feminism we may make alliances with conservative and religious organisations that are just as tyrannical in the end.

Bola

That is true Bola we do not want at any price to side or condone terrorists.The Islamic fundas are yet another form of oppression.They by violence and every act of barbarity are destroying islam.They are self destructing.

They want dominance just in the same way feminists do.So we stay well away from those losers.They are totally illogical and despicable attacking innocent people.Regardless of wrongs done elsewhere,there is NO justification for their actions.
Something real men never would do.Any attempt to side
with them or linkage to mens problems would be catastrophic.
We keep our integrity,channeling justified anger into peaceful assertive means.I certainly want to see justice and accountability and exposure of wrong doing but not revenge.

My idea of backlash is dropping out and what men dont do and refuse to do.Go on Strike, if we got sympathetic lawyers and got young men in politics we could see light at the end of the tunnel.Those men as
Fredx says need to be informed.
The governments of the west would do well to now get off mens backs if they are serious about defeating terrorism.It is men, who will be by and large fighting it after all.