Political Correctness Strikes Again

The use of politically correct euphemisms goes a little far sometimes. There's "mobile classrooms" instead of "trailers" and "reality TV" instead of "I'm out of ideas for TV shows".

There's ways to say "You're Stupid!".

We even have ways to speak about the behaviour of cats.

Here finally, is the answer to the age old question: When is a school not a school?

Primary drops 'school' from title

An MP has questioned why a new £4.7 million school has dropped the word "school" from its title because it has "negative connotations"

Sheffield's Watercliffe Meadow is to be called a "place of learning" instead of a primary school.

Local MP Richard Caborn said: "I'm always open to new ideas but the reality is education is about preparing young people to live in the real world. I just don't think the case has been made to drop the word school to a place of learning. I don't know why they have done it."

The decision was defended by headteacher Linda Kingdon. She told The Sheffield Star: "We decided from an early stage we didn't want to use the word 'school'.

"This is Watercliffe Meadow, a place for learning. One reason was many of the parents of the children here had very negative connotations of school. Instead we want this to a be a place for family learning, where anyone can come.

"We were able to start from scratch and create a new type of learning experience. There are no whistles or bells or locked doors. We wanted to de-institutionalise the place and bring the school closer to real life.'

Councillor Andrew Sangar, Sheffield City Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning, said: "It's a school, we consider it a school and that's how we refer to it.

"How a school chooses to manage and refer to itself is a matter for the board of governors and the community it serves and we're relaxed about that."

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk(Sheffield City Council)