alt_umbridge | A new opportunity

While several of our instructors and, indeed, our Headmistress were summoned away - and of course we thank them for their service to the ideals of our Protectorate - those of us who remained faithfully at home, tending the hearthfires and protecting, guarding, and shaping our children's futures were made aware of a dangerous gap in their education.

In a number of conversations through the past two weeks, it has become obvious to even the dullest mind that many of our students have little idea how the desires of Our Lord are made manifest, or the various roles that the different Ministry departments (and our heroic Council Members, of course) play in supporting the tapestry on which we build our shared vision.

Thanks to the diligent attention of myself, Mr Latimer Caldwell (Division Head for Education), members of his staff, and by the kind permission of Headmistress McGonagall, we are delighted to announce a programme of civic education for our first and second year students.

Parents, do not be concerned that this will overburden your youngsters - this is, in many ways, a replacement for the Muggle Studies classes of previous years. If there is anything I have learned as an educator, it is that our children, who remain our brightest hope for the future, will rise to the occasion when when their native enthusiasm is properly guided into useful service.

To that end, we are rapidly constructing exercises that will encourage them to discuss topics with their peers, with older students, and with their familes, reporting conversations back for discussion in class. Naturally, this will also give them additional practice - and growing expertise - in other core skills, such as clear writing and public speaking, that can only serve them well in their future lives.

Classes will begin next Monday, November 26th. Students will meet house by house for an hour each week, according to the schedules being handed out by your prefects today. We anticipate that most assignments will take two to three hours a week to complete.

Of course, I am only too glad - with my extensive experience in five departments of the Ministry, and of course its entire oversight for a number of years - to be the primary instructor. I do anticipate inviting guest speakers on particular topics, as well, and I do hope those invited will make it a priority to be available. Please do contact me with any little questions or concerns you might have.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_evelyn

I am very glad that I am not a second-year any more.

From:

alt_ron

Heh. That's exactly what I was going to say.

From:

alt_sally_anne

Poor Philip.

From:

alt_ron

Stretton, you mean?

From:

alt_sally_anne

Yeah. He's a firstie this year, you know. Ravenclaw.

From:

alt_ron

Is he the speccy one or the spotty one? I'm not sure I know which ones the firstie Ravenclaws even are. Guess I haven't paid much attention.

From:

alt_sally_anne

Speccy.

From:

alt_ron

Say. Did you hear what happened in Professor Dolohov's lesson with the fourth years?

Guess loads of them didn't have anything to turn in.

Word is Sandoval only turned in two sentences and a bit, and then burst into tears when he started shouting.

Guess he'll be in a jolly mood by the time he sees us tomorrow. What did he do Monday in your lesson?

From:

alt_pansy

He looked too tired to keep upright. There were some people who didn't turn in much based on what I could see, but our class wasn't nearly as bad as all that.

I'll reckon there's a few people in your class frantically revising tonight, though.

From:

alt_ron

Yeah, Bundy's got hers out, working on it, I think.

I finished mine, though. Honestly, I'm more worried about Transfig. I think I may have got that all backwards, but whatev. He'll explain it if I did.

From:

alt_sally_anne

Yeah, he was grumpy but he didn't blow up at anyone. We all had something to turn in, though.

From:

alt_ron

You've got it with Hufflepuff then, haven't you? Guess they're not likely to cause a fuss at all.

From:

alt_justin

Hullo, Ron,

No, not likely, what?

Though he did give Smith rather a look when his parchment was somewhat too short.

And Sally-Anne, Pansy, did you happen to see his hands shaking as he summoned our parchments? I don't think he's at all well.

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

I did see. He looked utterly terrible.

From:

alt_ron

So. What do we reckon he got up to in Ireland that was so tiring?

There's a thought.

From:

alt_justin

...I'd rather not, I think, if it's all the same.

I say, what did you write for your Transfiguration?

-Justin

From:

alt_ron

A load of rubbish, I think. What I wrote for Transfig, I mean.

This chapter had too much theoretical hoohah in it with sixteen syllable words that finish with -tion. I couldn't keep it all straight, and I reckon he'll explain it, so I'm not worrying so much about this essay. I mean, it was only six inches. That's just his way of making us figure out what we don't know.

I hope.

From:

alt_sally_anne

If Sirius Black thought he'd been involved in killing all those muggles he'd have said so.

From:

alt_ron

Yeah. Actually, I expect you're right.

From:

alt_sirius

Ooh, shan't that be a treat for the dear little kiddies?

Tell me, does your lesson plan include discussing why good Aurors like Emmeline Vance are dead? Or why the Director of Protectorate Affairs and Magical Law Enforcement saw fit to drown over 4,000 Muggle men, women and children in the Irish Sea because a few unrelated ones set off a bomb?

I'm truly curious to know how you plan to explain the rationale for leaving a subset of only the most menial jobs for 'halfbloods' while simultaneously trying to convince them they're just as valuable to society as their 'pure' classmates.

Or are you really not quite so concerned about encouraging them to equality?

From:

alt_lupin

You do realise they come after ME to keep you in line?

So if anyone asks, I'm giving you a proper scolding for not asking the Order's collective permission before you went off on a tear.

From:

alt_sirius

Nonsense. Everyone knows you've no control over me whatsoever. I'm a wild animal.

Or is it that I'm completely in your thrall? I can't quite remember which is right.

Oh, well. Either way.

From:

alt_lupin

We trade back and forth. On Thursdays.

I can't remember whose turn it is this week.

From:

alt_sirius

Ah, well. There you have it, then.

Besides, I reckon more than half of them will figure this is as good as a Grim Truth, for all they do anymore.

And the other half - well, I'm not going to get their approval, no matter what.

(Speaking of which, what do you reckon Minerva and Snape have been talking about together? I don't care for it but I can hear Allie 'scolding' me for saying so, even now.)

From:

alt_lupin

I'm hoping that they're talking about what we're going to do with the real Milland.

And while he's at it I hope he nags her to check the Hogwarts Book.

From:

alt_sirius

Concern about the real Milland, him? Now you really are joking.

Sorry, that must be some new, improved Snivellus you're on about. The one I know was only saying a few days ago that he needs human subjects to test ennervating potions.

And the day he cares about helpless, squalling infants will be the day I invite him to stay at Grimmauld as long as he likes in order to peruse my father's old library at his leisure.

From:

alt_pansy

That's what you were trying to tell us, wasn't it, Terry?

About what happened at the airport?

From:

alt_sally_anne

Four thousand people?

Is he saying Director Selwyn did this?

From:

alt_ron

That's a lot.

From:

alt_pansy

Yes. It is.

From:

alt_ron

Who's Emmeline Vance, do you know? I never heard of her.

From:

alt_pansy

I haven't either.

Maybe she's mentioned in one of the Ireland issues of the Prophet. Did you save any?

From:

alt_terry

She was a very brave woman. An ex-Auror, like Sirius said. She fled when the Lord Protector took over the Ministry.

She was one of the ones who went over to Ireland to try to stop the IMA.

From:

alt_terry

So maybe you understand a little more about why I was so angry.

From:

alt_ron

You know what, Terry? There's still not anyone arguing with you.

Sheesh.

From:

alt_terry

I know that. Which is why I apologised in the first place, isn't it?

From:

alt_justin

Hullo Sally-Anne, Pansy,

I say, what he said about people's jobs - you've said that much yourself, haven't you? And Hydra, as well. About her cousin Mrs Ponds. I wonder how Madam Umbridge will answer.

As for the Muggles...it's beastly, isn't it? How do you suppose he'd know whether it was Director Selwyn's decision? Surely it can't have been all his own doing?

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

Usually people say that of course a halfblood can do anything she sets her mind to! even though it's a lie. So maybe that's what she'll say. That blood will out, and purebloods get the good jobs because they are cleverer and better and work harder than the halfbloods.

I don't know how he'd know what happened in Ireland. Maybe Sirius Black went there? I mean he was in France and he came here, going to Ireland would be easy by comparison.

From:

alt_terry

Yes.

From:

alt_terry

Yes.

From:

alt_bill

Oh, thank you ever so much for making my first week at my new job completely memorable.

Massopust Flooed me to bawl me out, out of sheer frustration. Dunno what he thought the new Assistant Director to Purity Control/Liaison to the Department of Education and Public Information could do to prevent the Notorious Imposter Sirius Black from popping up on the journals again, but whatever it was, he wanted it done immediately.

Hope you enjoyed yourself.

From:

alt_umbridge

To answer a few questions received by owl since my announcement yesterday:

First, while I anticipate that there will be questions about the current events of the Protectorate, that will not be a substantial focus of our time together. This is for all sorts of practical reasons: many students do not subscribe to the Prophet, nor have ready ongoing access to a wireless. But it is also that we simply have a great deal of material to cover, and a teensy amount of time together.

Second, for those concerned about the cost of books, there will be (for this year, at least) no formal textbook. We do anticipate distributing duplicated essays and other materials from time to time, and I will be coordinating some additional purchases of supporting material with Madam Pince, our excellent librarian, for use for independent projects.

And third, due to the late start this term, there will be no end of term exam this fall, but we do anticipate one in the spring.

I do hope that clarifies the points of concern. Again, I remain available for questions from parents, students, or others with a legitimate interest in the working of the school.