Fidget Spinners

Adult Staff The Staff Mess
21

Talk about emotional knee jerk reactions that somehow link contesting medical conditions with racism.

He’s entitled to his opinion. And there’s always counter arguments and counter research. A simple google search can throw up articles for and against.

Not to mention the whole antidepressant drug issue.

It’s like the whole transgender issue. Yea there’s a huge mainstream agenda for pushing it but there’s a lot of research and articles against, with the lead professor at the Johns Hopkins Medical university refusing the continue medical treatment until further reasearch is done. And will continue treating it as a psychological issue.

But then again it’s all about emotional kneejerking and agendas these days isn’t it. Speaking of which I am still waiting for a decent counter argument over on that transgender thread, that isn’t “it’s 2017” or “your a racist bigot”.

22

Somehow you manage to criticise conflating medical conditions with racism in any way, and then in the same post throw transgender issues into the mix.

The problem here is not to do with a balanced, scholarly debate as to exactly how such issues should be handed (which is really a matter for debate by psychologists) but the fact that any such issues should clearly be handled sensitively given their nature - a fact that you could surely agree with given your position that it is a mental illness.

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Well, I was merely point out that other people did.

Someone up the thread compared it to demanding sikhs and Moslems to wear different uniforms. I don’t know how that came from contesting medical conditions.

And yea you have one thing right, dealt with sensitivity and fact. Not one sided, emotionally charged, SJW, liberal, virtue signalling knee jerking and spewing granola all over your keyboard because someone made a comment. Oh no, did the nasty man say something you disagree with?

I am pretty certain people would have proclaimed I had ADHD when I was a cadet. i didn’t have drugs pumped into me or any silly gimmick gadgets, and I turned out fine.

As said above, the value of these gimmicks is if someone has serious issues and should have a reference from a medical professional for its use.

My reference to transgender was because of the similar attitudes shown in that thread, someone said something against the trend and everyone loses their mind. Granola all over the place.

Still waiting for a decent counter argument by the way.

24

Then go to that thread and post there.

25

Spottheblip - I read your post with sadness, a truly sad situation for you. I’m glad cadets gives your daughter something to feel like she belongs. I can’t really say anymore but felt compelled to say something in support of your situation.

Everyone else, lets calm it down a few hundred notches… this is a forum for sharing ideas, getting help and learning something new… isn’t it? Its easy to forget that cadets get to see all of this stuff, I truly hope you don’t tell them what I have seen here to their faces.

31

I deleted posts that are off topic and question moderation. Feel free to PM if you want to discuss further.

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33

Now, I read this feed a few days ago and it has played on my mind ever since. It is our sole duty to look after the welfare of both cadets and staff regardless. We need to be pushing Equality and Diversity and eliminate discrimination against it regardless of Age, Gender, Gender Reassignment, Ethnicity, Religion, Culture, Disability - both physical and mental. And what I’ve read on here has done the complete opposite. It’s good enough people saying to calm it down and all but it doesn’t mean to say it didn’t happen. Many of my cadets have Apsergers, ADHD, ASD etc. But also many do not, and what I have seen of the fidget spinners is that they do have a vast effect on the focus and concentration levels of cadets with various conditions and ultimately their information retention has improved. Please start thinking of the Welfare of your cadets and other staff and imagine how they would feel if you openly said discriminatory and close minded statements on your squadrons and how much of a fall out of cadets you may have. And also if you do hold these kind of views of ‘made up conditions’ (if you’re that curious look up a Scan of a brain with ADHD/ASD and one without) look for a way to prove yourself that you are wrong and remember that your roles are working with children/ teenagers many who do need support and role models and attention rather then comments that make them feel disbelieved or even cause lower self esteem. And lets start putting the RAFAC in a more positive light.

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Top marks for you in the Liberal Bingo! There’s every buzzword going in that post.

As said before there’s numerous research and articles and information to cover both sides.

Yes, teenagers that need role models and support. And taught to inform themselves and to think for themselves, to form opinions for themselves, not to be a left wing brainwashed robot that can’t handle facts, can’t read or look at information without emotionally knee jerking. all you have to do is read the replies to the post that said it. Everyone loses their mind and spilling granola everywhere. Worried about being offended or what not. The real world is full of different facts, and opinions. You can’t blanket it with stuff you don’t like.
(Speaking of which, still waiting for a decent counter argument in the other thread)

If a Cadet is mature enough to ask a question, I will give them my opinion, but I will also tell them why I think such and tell them they need to form their own mind.

It’s already been stated several times that it should be considered with a medical professionals reccomendation. Will they be allowed on the parade ground?
Will drill be done with a soft voice and a wave so we don’t upset everyone?

For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s made up. But I think there’s elements of playing up to it or pandering to it, and I don’t agree with pumping kids with drugs. Or kids using it as an excuse. Oh it wasn’t them, it was their ADHD.
When I was a Cadet I could be a right little hyper turd. I still get elements of being hyper active as a grown man, and it’s usually followed by some form of feeling frustration, anger or fed up.

The military was the best thing for me, the structure and discipline helped to focus and give me something to work towards. And I knew several blokes who had pretty severe ADHD, and as soon as they were out of uniform they would play up.

I really wish people would stop emotionally knee jerking and losing their granola at people for tiny stuff. So what he made a comment, he’s entitled to it and if he’s (assuming is gender, how offensive) anything like me he probably said it for a reaction.

The age of rational thought and debate is dead.

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"if he’s anything like me he probably said it for a reaction.

The age of rational thought and debate is dead."

Line 1 is why line 2 is true.

36

hate them

My 2 kids have one and probably the worst thing i’ve bought them.

I’m secretly going to ‘loose them’ when they aren’t looking

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37

Or it’s because you get a bite…

38

What! I think they’re great.:slight_smile:

39

That was the bit which animated me. We are an inclusive organisation, not exclusive. I’ve seen disabled kids march with their Sqn on Wg competitions, I’ve seen kids with learning difficulties deliver far beyond what the rest of society would expect. I’ve seen under-developed, under-stimulated, deprived or socially outcast kids gain so much from the ACO. If we become selective because we ‘don’t have time/training’ for a particular, minority element of youth then we are doing a great injustice.

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40

And how do we find enough staff? And who will pay for the training?

Some sqns have to make do with what they have.

41

I’ve had cadets with this on all units I’ve run and teachers who’ve seen them in uniform say “oooo I see you’ve got so and so” and explain themselves and then parents/guardians who say similar and I’ve not seen anything different to many of their peers in terms of behaviour and go on to have usual success in things. Which leads me to my conclusion someone somewhere is making something up. I would not want any of my children labelled and or chemically coshed for anyone.

I haven’t got the time to treat them all differently, they join ‘the cadets’ and are just cadets at the end of the day, which is by far the fairest way. If you start treating them differently the other kids will pick up on it and that’s when the real problems start.

As for training etc my problem comes when HQAC suggest differentiated learning which by my understanding from talking to teachers is hard in school and they have been trained, got the staff classroom assistants who would have specific knowledge / training to help such kids and have the resources. ACP 29 like so many of HQACs documents come out to placate fashion and are able to say ‘look how good we are’ and would put ‘safeguarding’ in the same basket. If I had any concerns wrt safeguarding I would miss out the ATC bit until I’d reported it to the police / social services and spoken to the family if I felt it appropriate.

I still have no time for these toys. I do not allow cadets their mobiles during the evening unless it is an extreme emergency. Even staff are discouraged from just fiddling with mobiles.

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42

So what you’re saying is that you would apply the same thing to everyone regardless of ability? So you’d expect someone in a wheelchair to do perfect drill iaw AP818, you’d expect someone with anxiety to perform in front of people (if that caused them issues) and you wouldn’t make allowances to suit the person?

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And applying the same rule to everyone universally isn’t “fair”. It’s easy for you because you can not give a damn about anyone that doesn’t fit your little bubble, but it is a long way from fair. Fair would be treating people to their individual strengths and abilities.

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Equality_Equity.jpg900×996 335 KB

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46

Good for FacePalm & cats… :wink:

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I’ve removed yet more off topic posts.