“I have been given first-hand experience of the way our children are being seriously deprived by government. I agree with the comment that government is not the only cause of the problems. Probably with the best of intentions, it is seriously aggravating a bad situation, damaging both our youngsters and the community as it does so.
I am a retired schoolteacher, and have been working with children for nearly sixty years as a voluntary youth leader. (A perpetual busman’s holiday!) Long experience, widened by many other interests, has given me a very clear understanding of why youths behave as they do in today’s world. However, government thinks it knows better than those of us at the coalface. You might even be able to believe this if you listen to its words and close your mind to the consequences of its actions.
Not one to stand by and watch preventable catastrophes, I am doing something about it. With the support of hundreds of 'watchers', I have been promoting the Summerway Campaign for the last three years. Using the 'constructive eviction' of Summerway Tennis from its leased premises and the Heavitree Arch as examples, we are trying to show how local government operates in Exeter. The City Council seems unwilling to cooperate!
If you would like to know more, I have a large website at www.summerway.org from which you can access the four videos I have posted on YouTube. (Apologies for the sense of humour in the two most recent!) My email address is on the website if you wish to contact me.”

“What can one say?30 years ago i used to see my Dad doing what i do now,watching and reading the news and getting hot under the collar so to speak.You have no control at home,school or on the streets any more.Over the years it has got worse and will do so,due to the weak willed do gooders of England.Too afraid to punish,but all saying we should.It used to be fisty cuffs to settle a score now its a blade or gun.Take note government but dont upset the voters you cowards.Sorry england.”

“I do agree with certain points of Kevin's I was smacked as a child if I misbehaved and was also smacked by the teacher.

Trouble is now a adult hitting a child is reliable for all sorts.”

“bring back punishment for children over the past 10 years we have been told you cannot smack your kids, schools are not allowed to punish them and even if the figures show that more kids are being convicted. these kids still have the attitude that they can get away with it because YOU CANT TOUCH ME they say. Well i say deal the kids the way we were dealt with. you got the cane if you misbehaved at school you got smacked by your parents and if you see something wrong on the streets you were allowed to shout and threaten to tell your parents. now if you knock on someones door to complain about their unrulely kids your more than likely to get a punch in the face for your trouble these are the ones we need to deal with. I saw teenager walk slowly out in front of a car the drivere shouted and got abused for his trouble and the kid slowed down even more shouting abuse at the driver. The driver done no more than get out of his car and slap the kid round the back of the head he ran off with a shamed look as all passers by laughed at him. I bet he did not go home and tell his parents and wont do it again. I dont condone hitting kids but sometimes they deserve it and that what should happen. Dont wrap them up in cotton wool. It did not do the older generation any harm most of us are desent law abiding people. Bring back the good old days where a copper could clip you round the ear for being cheeky.We have now got a generation of uncontrolable disrespectful kids with an attitude of what you gonna do nothing thats what. If a teenager came up and smacked you round the face you cant touch them otherwise your the one that ends up behind bars this is wrong and needs to change. with the current financial problems we should bring back national service it gives them a good start in life. BUT MOST OF ALL TEACH YOUR KIDS TO RESPECT YOUR ELDERS.”

“It is about time one of the political partys raised this as an issue. Afterall, it has been otherwise a battle for both parents and teachers alike. Who would blame who etc., However, there also must be a wider scope as to what we are alowed to do in respect of keeping our innocent children on the straight and narrow, and there is not enough scope for us parents/teachers to enforce this discipline issue, without coming under fire from either the "over zellous parent" or just "outright neglectful parenting" resulting in parenting orders or ASBO's issued for our children's off the rails behaviour. Surely if we were given fair and safe boundaries as to what is permissable and not just from the Social Regulations, then we would be only to happy to encourage our children into a fair balance of good behaviour, resulting, in a happy and healthy lifestyle, without resorting to criminal behavour at all.”

“:| Except it or not Arthur, it's a fact that shoplifting rates amongst youngsters, particularly girls; was soaring even 20 years ago. . Of course the parents must be to blame. The schools have been 'neutered' for donkey's years now. . Many of the parents now were once the undisciplined children themselves and so just weren't ever taught any differently anyway. . People have never accepted that the older generations, used to leave their front door keys under the door mat and we all had unlocked desks at school. . But we didn't steal from each other all the time. . The only reason the crime rate ever falls now is because we live in this ever more 'lock-down' society. . It's not 'The' government, It is 'ALL' governments! . . For years now it's been the PC 'liberal' thinking of the Liberal Democrats that everyone has been afraid to challenge, in case it costs them a few votes. . Roll on the Revolution.”

“Ditto Ivor. When I had the cane for the forst time I told my dad who said "you must have deserved it" and gave me a tanning. Today the irresponsible parents sue the headmaster and get him ,at best suspended, at worst sacked. Child crime would not be a problem if parents did their job properly. As if that was not bad enough we have the do good brigade who make sure that the offenders if caught do not get anything resembling a punishment. Bring back corporal punishment and good parents.”

“The child crime signals the breakdown of our society.
If I had gone home and told Mum that any adult in Heamoor had disciplined me she would immediately have asked what I had done wrong.
The community used to be responsible for the community children. It was a shared responsibility.
Community responsibility has now gone and this is the price.
If anyone addresses me by the correct pronunciation IVOR, the hair on the back of my head still rises at age 79.
Mum called me Iver, IVOR meant I had sinned and was about to meet retribution from my wise old Mum.
Don't blame the kids look into a mirror and Take a look at where you younger ones are heading. Time will excuse us older ones... The community is only as good as its weakest members. Sadly”

“All this says is that the number of children *convicted* has risen. Someone has yet to supply evidence that the child crime rate has gone up or down, just that more are caught. Either there are more child criminals or they're getting better at catching them.

Either way, you can't blame just government for this. Parents have to take a large proportion of the blame.”

“It's Blair's Britain. Get used to it.”