SPOILER!!: m'dear Tarah

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazykitty

Apparently, it had all of a sudden become the Carter family's job to run completely counter to everything that was going on in the Ministry. A position that Sky wasn't exactly comfortable with. Nope, this was more her aunt's wheelhouse. She personally was more comfortable with slight mischief (blame her mom's influence). But since she was currently the only Carter here......

.....and they were moving ahead as if this was a thing that was already happening. That fact was a thorn in her side. "Hold on a min. Shouldn't there be a public comment period on this matter before we move full steam ahead? I mean, I think that was a part of what caused the problems with the activists at the WERPS conference. They felt like the idea was being forced upon them instead of them having a say and being listened to. The same could happen here if we're not careful." Yes, she realized the Minister was here. Which made what she was saying all the more important, she felt. "Also, and I'm sorry Minister, but why now? Why now, when you've had your whole term to do these things slower and properly? And now that you only have a year and a half left of your term, you're trying to shove both your environmentalism and squib measures through?"

Yes, she realized the uproar that was probably about to rain down upon her, unfortunately. It was why she hated being in this position and why she wished her Aunt Roxi was here to deal with it. She was much better at it than Sky was, considering it was a position she'd been in plenty of times. Sky, not so much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazykitty

Yes, thanks dude, thanks soooooooo much for completely misunderstanding what she was saying. It really helped her stress levels at being in the position she was in. Helped them go up, that was. But as was her way, Sky wasn't showing it. Nope, she merely replied with a calm, even tone. "I'm simply saying that there should be a public comment period on this matter to possibly stop what happened at the WERPS from happening again. The only one missing the bigger picture here is you." And if he hated politics so much, why was he in the Ministry? Government usually equaled politics.

Also, now she was mentally cursing her aunt for not being here to deal with this. Because there was not enough coffee in the world to relive her stress now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazykitty

Yes, Level Five had had this on their plate for awhile, but she'd brought up her objections plenty of times. Maybe that had been forgotten in the rush to implement this new reality. "All I'm saying is that both sides of the issue need to be heard before such an upheaval is made. More research needs to be done before an upheaval like this. Which really hasn't been done, going by the way everyone is speaking, of course." Slow down, do things properly. Don't just speed things up because the Minister says to. That was all she was saying.

And this guy had her shaking her head. "Mr. Potter, I'm sorry, but it sounds like you're saying that Muggle schooling isn't good enough for the magical or magical-adjacent to even step foot into. You should know that there are plenty of us both squibs and full witches and wizards that have attended Muggle schooling for either part or all of their education and have gone on to be very successful in fields both magical and Muggle. So, to say that squibs need to be separated from Muggles, which is what you seem to be saying, is, at best, highly.......unelightened and at worst highly bigoted. Hiding our magic from Muggles is fine, avoiding interacting with them is not." And yes, Sky herself was one of those examples of successful full witches, having attended a Muggle school for two out of her seven years of secondary school. "It is my personal belief that squibs do us more good if they attend Muggle schooling and work in the Muggle side of things as liaisons and advocates for not just us witches and wizards in the Muggle community, but for Muggles in our community too, as they are better positioned to understand both sides. Maybe they could even work at Hogwarts teaching Muggle Studies, since, again, they can understand both sides. But this understanding and any other talents that squibs may have is completely squandered shuffling papers in the Ministry." Which if someone was being completely honest, would be what they were mostly regulated to.

Man, she hated being the lone voice of objection in a room. Someone else could really take this over now, seriously.

It was unnecessary for anyone to speak FOR her, as several were apparently trying to do, so Althea, after allowing the young woman and anyone else to bring up their thoughts, addressed her directly.

"I appreciate you raising your concerns, Ms Carter-Hope. I assure you there will be a public forum for discussions on the matters at hand and plenty of opportunity for members of the community to comment and contribute and be heard. This is a process, just as the environmental issues we face are a process - certainly nothing is being shoved through. WERPS took some time to plan, and we are still in the very early stages with the squib concerns that are being addressed." And Althea wasn't the LEAST bit concerned or upset or offended that Ms Carter-Hope was speaking up - in fact she preferred it. Other feathers were far more ruffled than hers.

"For the record I will NOT sign my name to anything which will see squibs relegated to paper-shuffling positions. There are plenty of skilled positions within the ministry which may easily be filled by those squibs who wish to apply with the prerequisite qualifications - and there are many more where muggle equivalency in learning may be applied. Skilled and specialist research positions for example. The Muggleworthy excuse committee and any liaison work both internally and externally. Any position which does not require direct use of magic. If a squib, or even any magically limited individual wishes to go to a Muggle university to obtain a degree in forensic science, they could certainly be a useful contributor to Magical Law Enforcement for instance." Just a few examples. There were so many.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charely Potter

Charely did of course notice Vic heading out, no doubt they would have a further discussion on this. He didn't take offense however, even when his own words became twisted into something entirely different from his views. Should he be upset about this? Possibly, but he had enough experience with remaining calm in situation like this. It wasn't his fault when some missed the point entirely or seem to be looking for a reason to disagree with what he said.

Instead, his view turned towards the younger woman who had misunderstood him, "There are indeed a number of wizards and witches having integrated into the muggle community with secure jobs protecting them as well as many muggles integrated into our world through their family's connections, with squibs living a more acceptable standard among muggles. However what I propose is not of segregation but an inclusion with more options. We're entering into the twenty-second century and there are still reports of squibs being separated or treated with disdain in their wizarding family from an early age due to only being limited with the option of an education in the muggle community to the point of being ostracised. Witches and wizards have the advantage of receiving an education from either community and functioning well enough to remain in either. Squibs currently only have a limited amount of jobs available if they so choose to remain within the wizarding community."

Continuing on, since he could see some reasoning to her objection. "I am pleased to hear you are enlightened on how well squibs have done for both muggles and witches with their current involvement in the community. That can not be taken away. I expect that you are just as enlightened with how education is run through PWS and the expected St. Dorgo where classes and activities encouraging muggle interaction takes place allowing young squibs to transition just as smoothly into the muggle world as well as the option of remaining in the wizarding world." If that didn't get the message clear on his stance of views then this was likely to remain going back and forth. But at the same time, such a chance made this cause a sure thing to go through in the end.

She listened to the presentations. Althea personally thought that muggle schooling was a better choice for squib children than a squib-only institution. However when Mr Potter brought up one particular aspect of this, the transitioning smoothly into the muggle world, she had to speak up, addressing the room as a whole.

"Squib rights are not JUST about providing more potential opportunities for squibs to participate in active, valued and equal ways in the Wizarding community, The Ministry will ALSO be providing better support for those squibs, and indeed any witch or wizard who requires it, who plan to integrate into the Muggle world. I have been speaking with the Muggle Prime Minister and he has agreed that it is imperative for individuals of our community to be able to safely and fully engage in the muggle community as required. At times this may mean help with identity papers, National Insurance numbers, qualification equivalencies, credit history - potentially any number of things, legally and legitimately."

For her this was bigger picture than simply finding a few extra jobs within the ministry. Due diligence.