CLIVE SMITH: Parents have no excuse for sending dirty children to school

A primary school in Stoke-on-Trent has said it may install a washing machine because according to the headteacher there is a rise in pupils attending school with '˜washing and hygiene issues'.
Schools should not be expected to wash their pupils' clothes, says CliveSchools should not be expected to wash their pupils' clothes, says Clive
Schools should not be expected to wash their pupils' clothes, says Clive

Plenty of people were screaming about ‘austerity’, ‘Tories’ and ‘Brexit’. What nonsense. Let’s call it how it is and blame the parents.

It’s not something that’ confined to just Stoke-on-Trent. You see this sort of thing going on in any city, including Portsmouth.

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The kids are usually seen walking to school in ankle biter trousers, scruffy hair and a general look of despondency on their faces. I feel sorry for them and angry in equal measure. There is absolutely no need for it.

I’m sure there was once a time before washing machines and tumbler dryers existed. A long time ago I know, but people still got by. Washing was done by hand and was dried outside or on racks indoors.

I suppose that’s time consuming though and would get in the way of important matters like checking status updates on Facebook and we can’t have that can we?

So let’s send little Johnny to school in smelly clothes instead. Maybe the bullying will get so bad the school might step in and do the laundry for us.

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Parents like this shouldn’t have children. It’s pure laziness and there’s no excuse for it.

And I’m not having it that people can’t afford electricity to use these machines. I bet the TV will be on, phones and iPads charging. Of course they can afford it. They just choose not to.

There are Poundland or Lidl for toiletries and washing products, one of the big supermarkets for uniforms. It would cost less than a week’s worth of cigarettes, or a crate of beer, TV subscription. You get the point.

It’s decent of the school to do it, but it shouldn’t have to. Schools have got enough to worry about and budget for.

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Soon they’ll be providing in-school hairdressers and dinner clubs. While they’re at it they might as well install a few beds. Parents wouldn’t need to bother about anything then and the kids would be better off.

STEREOTYPING IS NOT RACIST

Alan Sugar is in hot water after posting a tweet deemed by many to be racist.

He put up a picture of the Senegal football team and photoshopped in front of them were some sunglasses and handbags with the caption: ‘I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multi-tasking resourceful chaps.’

Lord Sugar has been forced to apologise amid calls for a parliamentary investigation. Parliamentary investigation! Talk about being over-sensitive.

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All he’s done is use a well-worn (and true) stereotype of African men who sell sunglasses, watches and other tat around the beaches of Mediterranean resorts to make a joke about a group of African men in a photoshopped picture.

It’s a crude generalisation at best. A stereotype. But stereotyping isn’t racist.

CAN YOU REALLY BLAME DOMESTIC ABUSE ON ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP DEFEATS?

Police forces across the country have started a campaign to ‘Give Domestic Abuse the Red Card’ because statistics reveal domestic abuse incidents are 38 per cent higher when England lose a World Cup match.

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It talks a lot about domestic violence against women. I guess men aren’t ever victims and women don’t like football. So much for equality.

I’m not sure I like the way this campaign seems to be blaming football. It’s more to do with the personality of the person doing it and, I’d imagine, alcohol consumption.

I expect Christmas may see similar stats.

I went to the pub to watch the England match last Monday night and I drank like it was a Saturday.

I managed not to hit anyone when I got in.

I also managed to do very little work the next day.