NTDWA- A primary school in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, has banned whistles from being used to signal the end of playtime because they are ‘too aggressive’ and might scare children.
Staff at St Monica’s Catholic Primary School in Neath Hill will instead raise their hand at the end of breaks, and hope the children spot them. The ban on whistles was revealed by teaching assistant Pamela Cunningham, and she attacked the ban saying she still keeps her whistle in her pocket ‘just in case’.
Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, has called the move ‘crazy’. He said: “We have become extraordinarily over-sensitive. Does this mean children are not going to be able to play football and hockey because the referees use whistles? What about fire alarms?”
Let me guess: Whistles drown out the call to prayer?
Will they become too afraid of using their rape whistle when a 6’4″ 300 lb hairy man who identifies as a 7 year old girl goes into the little girls restroom and starts playing “show me yours I’ll show you mine?”
My Dad didn’t need a whistle, standing on the front porch or our house he could whistle real loud all by himself and when we heard him whistle we knew it was time to come in for the night (my brothers and I as well as the dog) especially in the Summer. Me, I can’t whistle worth a damn. Nowadays my Dad who is 87 and myself are both dinosaurs. My son who is 34 is also a dinosaur because he’s a hard worker. It would be probably be sexist and a micro aggression now if Bogie were to put his lips together and blow.
If a whistle can’t signal a certain time, neither should the school bell. My school rang the bell after every period and then 5 minutes later to signal the start of the next period.
That might be what’s wrong with me today. Probably not.
As long as they don’t use chalk and scare the little kiddies.
I grew up with a bell. If I didn’t hear it, one of the dogs did.
I had a wooden whistle, but it wooden whistle
Then I had a steel whistle but it steel wouldn’t whistle.
Then I got a tin whistle. Tin I can whistle…
What a joke. How funny to think of how hard it is to get the little darlings to pay attention, when they are in a classroom, supposedly, focused on the teacher.
I keep picturing the large playground, children everywhere, playing ball, hanging upside down on monkey bars, swinging, riding merry-go-rounds, lots of shouting, screaming, giggling, & etc; oh yes, that teacher’s aid, standing mute, holding up a hand will get their attention. And how about trying to get the bully, off in a far corner, to stop! Stand with your hand up. Good idea.
The little doilies will grow up and pee their pants when they hear LIFE in the big, bad world.
Ugh…this makes my head hurt
My mom called us home for dinner with a cowbell and it didn’t even make us all mental! Needs more cowbell…
What nonsense. When will it all stop? What will it take?
Mom was THE best on the block at a whistle-call. Started mid-high and slid up in pitch. A no-hands tongue-contorted whistle that mere mortals had to do with two fingers stuck in there.
While my friends ribbed me that she used the same whistle to call our dog – sometimes we came running at the same time – They were envious of her and admired her skill. None of us could do it & we didn’t personally know anyone else who could.
No, that part was cool. The not-so-cool part was when she added -ie on the end of my one syllable name right after the whistle. Like the whole block didn’t know who was whistling and for whom already – especially me. It didn’t help that it was the 60s and my name was strongly associated with gay jokes. You could call it the gayest version of my name. Maybe adding Poo after it beats it.
While I wouldn’t want to re-live, or do differently, any part of my childhood. I thought it was pretty good in many ways. The whistle was one of those things.
It’s probably just as well PUK is no longer with us. He would be having a shit fit ove what his UK had become in just a few short years.
I miss that guy.
Peter UK was one of the best.
If any new readers are scratching their heads.
Peter UK was …
You know what.
I’m making a post about him.
Thanks Doc.