Have you seen the recent video shared by Send Reform England? It was a frankly horrific clip of Warwickshire County Council’s ‘Children & Young Person’s Scrutiny’ meeting (from an original post on TikTok made by Elissa Noves).
The video shows three councillors making incredibly derogatory remarks about children with SEND and their families. I won’t re-post, as chances are you’ve seen it, and if you haven’t, know that it’s pretty triggering for our community.
There’s so much – so very much – wrong with the very fabric of UK society in terms of the way families like ours are treated. From schools to services like CAHMS, our local authorities, and right the way up to a government that cuts vital funding which always hurts the most vulnerable every time.
It all feels overwhelming at times, and I must admit sometimes I choose not to think about it, as I don’t feel I have the spoons for JJ AND for everything in the paragraph above.
Yesterday, I did a tiny bit of gardening in between rain showers and looking after JJ. I was in that blissful state of not actually thinking about anything (which is rare for me) and was mindlessly pulling up weeds, which seem to be one of the only things growing at the moment. It occurred to me that I didn’t really know why I was pulling up the tough, wily little sprouting things, but that it is just what you do.
But it got me thinking, who decided weeds are weeds, anyway?
According to wikipedia, ‘a weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals.’
So we’re talking about plants that don’t look right, that don’t fit the plan for our gardens. That aren’t as conventionally attractive I suppose.
And the major criticism seems to be that weeds rob other plants of precious space, take their nutrients and if they’re big enough, they can shade other plants from the sunlight.
Exactly the same can be said of some non-weeds, but we don’t seem to mind. We accommodate the plants we love, the plants we think are worthy. We make space for them, we buy special plant food – we know what they need and are happy to make those accommodations. It all comes down to perception. And classification.
Now this probably appears like a clumsy metaphor, but know I’m NOT in any way comparing our children to weeds. Please don’t come at me!
I’m just pointing out that someone, somewhere along the line, made judgements about what plants were ‘good’ – and therefore welcome in our gardens – and which ones were not entitled to grow.
It’s worth pointing out (nerd alert!) that some weeds shield the soil from the sun, protecting both insects and microscopic organisms from sunlight. Their roots stabilise the soil, creating a secure environment for life, while their stems trap organic matter, which breaks down in the soil and provides sustenance for insects. Some weeds even provide amazing animal food, and others are wonderful for the bees.
Weeds can be incredible, but most of the time we don’t give them a second thought. Like me yesterday, pulling up the dandelions that had fought so hard to squeeze themselves up in between paving slabs. Now THAT’S determination for you.
It made me think about all the other decisions, judgements and classifications that those in high places have made over the years about the world we live in, and the people who live in it.
And I for one am not going to let nameless, faceless decision-makers dictate who is worthy of a place in my garden, and who is not.
A Boy Less Ordinary 