Falsely balanced or balanced by falsity?

29th January, 2013 25

This is a guest post from vet, Simon Baker. It is timely for me as last week I turned down the offer of being interviewed by the BBC on a subject concerning quackery. I knew who I was ‘up against’ and struggled to see how such a report could ever be accurate and appropriately balanced. Simon’s post explores the problems of balance in the media when discussing fringe ideas. Prologue [read more…]

Why Does the MHRA Not Close Down these Homeopaths?

18th January, 2013 69

BBC South West have again produced an excellent investigation into the practices of homoeopath,s this time focusing on the trade in sugar pills sold as vaccines for children. Given the alarming number of cases of Whooping Cough in the region, and the low vaccine uptake in some areas, there is concern that parents using such products could be putting their children at serious risk. The BBC found Prince Charles’ favourite homeopathic pharmacy selling sugar [read more…]

Steiner Academy Bristol, A Challenge: Be Open With Parents

8th January, 2013 253

The proposed Steiner School in Bristol was reported yesterday to have attracted ‘huge interest’ from prospective parents. They say 850 people have expressed an interest in joining the school when it is finally given government money to go ahead. If you go to their web site, perhaps you can see why. Their video depicts a school full of music, crafts and caring teachers. What is not to like? Such things [read more…]

Tory Free Schools Plot to Spin Away the Racism of Steiner Schools.

7th January, 2013 33

Last year, I wrote to my local MP, Lib Dem Tessa Munt, to raise concerns that the nearby opening of a state funded Steiner School raised a number of issues. Most importantly, that Steiner Schools are not open about the religious and occult nature of their philosophy and that this philosophy is based on an abhorrent racist view of human spirituality. Furthermore, children are likely to be exposed to pseudoscience, hidden spiritual [read more…]