Inspection Racket
Education Business, Ofsted, Politics Monday, October 26th, 2009
EducationState have little time for education inspectors.
And why would we? They create unnecessary amounts of stress and bureaucracy. They waste time, money and other resources. And they are used an instrument of fear and control by Government.
It has dawned on us, moreover, that they bear many similarities to some rather unpleasant characters who extort money in so-called protections rackets.
The following has been taken from the Wikipedia entry for protection rackets:
“A protection racket is an extortion (INSPECTION) scheme whereby a powerful entity (OfSTED/BRITISH COUNCIL/QCA/NEW LABOUR) or individual coerces other less powerful entities (SCHOOLS/COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES) or individuals to pay protection (INSPECTION) money which allegedly serves to purchase protection (INSPECTION) services against various external threats, usually violence or property damage (CLOSURE/SPECIAL MEASURES).
Those who do not buy into the protection (INSPECTION) plan are often targeted by criminals (LAWYERS/POLITICIANS/CIVIL SERVANTS/JOURNALISTS), often the racketeers themselves. Assuming the racketeers do actually protect paying “clients” from other criminals, when a person or group refuses to pay for protection (INSPECTION), word is put out that they are outside of the racketeers’ protection (INSPECTION REGIME) and that criminals can target them with impunity (LAWYERS/POLITICIANS/CIVIL SERVANTS/JOURNALISTS).
The protection (INSPECTION) money is typically collected by a “bag man” (INSPECTOR). Although the organization might be particularly coercive in obtaining protection (INSPECTION) money, it is usually careful to shelter its “mark” (CERTIFICATE/LOGO) from attacks by competitor organizations that similarly attempt to solicit or threaten the targeted individuals or businesses. Disputes between organizations concerning territory consequently arise from two competing organizations (OfSTED/BRITISH COUNCIL/QCA/NEW LABOUR) attempting to extort from (INSPECT) the same “clients”.”
We are not saying education inspection is equal to a protection racket but the parallels are too striking too ignore.