HP and the democratic equilibrium(Re: Umbridge, brooms and DEs)

[quigonginger at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 87179

Posting sniplets from Geoff and Shaun:
> > Shaun:
> > > In loco parentis is an *incredibly* powerful Common Law 
principle -
> > > and was even more so in the past. A teacher under British Common
> > > Law did have virtually the full powers of a parent over their
> > > students.
> > 
> > Geoff:
> > Hm, but a lot of UK parents are getting rather hard-nosed 
nowadays 
> > and see anything like that as an infringement of "Little 
Johnnie's" 
> > rights. For the last few years, some kids (the Malfoys of this 
> > world?) have only got to mutter to their parents about things not 
> > being to their  taste and the latter are beating a path to the 
> > classroom door or the head's office......

Now Ginger:

I think that you guys may have touched on a point here:  Parental 
involvement.

I, as a Sunday School teacher, have a child from whom I confiscate 
everything from clicky pens to Palm Pilots.  His parents are fully 
supportive of this.  They know him well.  I have another child to 
whom I can barely say boo without having to rush to the parents to 
get my side in first afterwards.

The difference is not in the children, but in the parents.  

Let us look at the parents involved in the Broom Confiscation case.  
Harry, of course has no parents.  Umbridge is aware of his staying at 
the Dursley home, as she is the one who sets the dementors on him 
there.  She likely knows his situation with them.  Vernon would not 
make the trip to a ruin with a warning sign to stand up for Harry.  
No, Sir!

As a Ministry official, DU is fully aware that Arthur, though popular 
on a personal level, is not seated high enough to do her any harm by 
protesting.  She is also aware of the status the twins have as 
trouble makers.  Arthur has not stepped in yet.  Why should he now?  

So neither Harry nor George and Fred have a parent who is going to 
interfere with her.  Had it been Malfoy, she would most likely have 
given a less severe punishment. 

Just a thought from the apostrophe-free Ginger