Deferred Success

Oh England, My England!

I've been naturalised since 1988, but I can't help but feel more than a trace of affection for the land of my Birth. So this story saddens me.

From the BBC :

A retired teacher has lost her fight to have the word "fail" replaced by "deferred success" in education speak.

Liz Beattie, from Ipswich, Suffolk, put forward the motion at the Professional Association of Teachers' conference.

She argued many children were put off learning for life after being labelled "failures" but her colleagues rejected the move as "a foot-in-mouth motion".

Ian Pringle, from Canvey Island, Essex, said: "We'll be ridiculed. Please do not vote for this motion."

All well and good. Yes, they'd be a laughing-stock if they did this. But the article then goes on:

Another delegate said failure was not a word used in schools anyway these days.

You see, it's not the concept they're against : just what they're doing being found out and them subject to deserved public ridicule.