ON THE 25th anniversary of the first test-tube baby, it’s being predicted that all couples will eventually be able to have children, whatever the problem — but should the NHS pick up the tab? Absolutely, says Dee P in the Nursing Times Forum. “If there is a correctable malfunction of the reproductive process, then yes.” Absolutely not, says Pete Goble. “Wanting to have a child is natural but the NHS is not there to relieve unfulfilled wants in this category. This is the medicalisation of the frustrated ego. People can adopt or foster, or just put up with disappointment and learn from it. People don’t die of disappointment.” But this is the kind of attitude Poppy sees as sexist. “Can you imagine if it was men who got pregnant and gave birth? They’d soon make it freely available on the NHS then!”
In its Staffroom, the TES has started a new section inviting heads of schools to sound off about “What drives you mad about your job?”, though teaching is hardly a profession that needs encouragement to complain, says Micky Finn. “Being relatively new to FE, I am amazed at the moaning that goes on in the staffroom. Yes it can be stressful at times, but I didn’t have to take the job.” What? said Pete Keeffe. “Not moan? Lecturers! I don’t think that many of us could get through a week without regular staffroom grumblefests.”
Is the Government’s street crime initiative a “missed opportunity”, as a new study has said, because drug treatment for addicted offenders was not part of the drive? No, says Sue Donnelly, in the BBC’s Have Your Say. She has had enough of “discussion, excuses, treatments” and says by introducing these things “we are condoning criminal behaviour and removing personal accountability and responsibility”. What’s needed is “condemnation and shame in having a criminal record”. No it isn’t, says Steven Lauder, a former drug addict. “Tougher prison sentences and the police are nothing more than a lifestyle hazard for the hardened drug addict (most street crime, robberies and burglaries are committed by addicts). If we are to tackle crime effectively, we need to cut out the social rot” and “embrace and support people before their lives take a tragic turn”.