Educashun

I spent the afternoon with several - the number diminished rapidly and randomly -young people who are not only deeply disillusioned with education, but with society and their role in it.

After witnessing and intervening in some violence between two of them - not serious but still unacceptable - the rest of the small group drifted in up to 15 minutes after the 'lesson' had begun. Their interest couldn't be stimulated by anything much to begin with other than sexually explicit language and an attempt to get me to admit to using 'weed', which I easily resisted.

We discussed, at my suggestion, the recent vandalisation and sensationalisation of Jay Kay's £1million Ferrari Enzo. Whilst identifying with the culprit, a 21-year-old chef from nearby Aldeburgh, all of them expressed the desire to own one.

After one other had been randomly removed, by edicts from elsewhere, we moved languidly through the planned lesson pausing to discuss smoking, in some detail. Cancer was also on their agenda, as was illegitimacy, DNA testing (to verify parentage) interspersed with random visits to the window to check-out the weather. The afternoon nearly flew by, but not quite.

I don't blame their lack of interest, relegated to also-rans of the educational system. A GCSE means less to them than a tattoo.