The founding of both ses and the associated phiosophy organisations
and day schools around the world are the brain child of Mr. Leon Mc
Laren. When he was alive he was effectively master of them all, until
frail health encouraged less interference. At that point his
successor, Mr. Donald Lambie, took the reins. Neither of these men
have ever been named governors of St.James' schools etc, but they
have undoubtedly had influence greater than the Chairman of the
governors. If your dad was a teacher in St'James/Vedast any exciting
or sticky moments relating to his work would have been discussed
within the philosophy organisation - the head of the ses would
certainly have known about it. As the schools-both-have expanded in
size, this may have lessened, although people are in place , in key
positions (in ses and the childrens' school)to ensure that Mr. Lambie
gets to know what's what. This can happen in the most "innocent"
ways. There may be a visit to some function at the day school-the
girls' skirts may not be quite long enough-your mum might mention to
you that the ses leader's wife said that the girls over 16 ought to
be wearing longer skirts. Because it was such an influential person
that "made the observation" it would have an effect. This is
influence not power, but things are in place to ensure that power
lies with those who are powerfully under the rules and thinking of
sesleadership. It's all about controlling peoples' minds to ensure
that they think and behave in a particular way, and like anywhere
else this has strengths (of cohesiveness and unity of purpose etc)
and weaknesses (people tend to think in a particular, rather than a
free manner). But what is interesting here is the balance of the
advantages and disadvantages. Is their a healthy balance? There
certainly wasn't in the past. What has changed to suggest that there
is now? Has anything fundamentally changed? Corporal Punishment was
dealt with by the law of the land. That same law would be hard
pressed to outlaw control of peoples' minds. Victims of such control
spend alot of time weighing up the advantages and good points against
the disadvantages and bad points - they may need proper help.