The X Factor must take responsibility for our children

Schools anger as ITV X Factor auditions clash with exam days:

Headteachers have accused the makers of ITV’s X Factor of “irresponsible” planning after it emerged that Scottish auditions for the talent show clash with the Standard Grade English exam next week.

I didn’t realise a profit-making venture such as The X Factor had a responsibility to schools. I think the programme is shit, but no matter.

Teenage angst: study for exams or audition for X Factor place?

For an immature, impressionable youngster the choice could well be a no-brainer. The opportunity to take part in auditions for ITV’s X Factor and the remote chance of that ultimate prize - a £1m recording contract and instant celebrity status. Or staying at school to sit an exam.

Ah, the lure of those 15 minutes. Not all of you could be the next Leona Lewis — who was a major fluke, IMHO. If I may just say, if you’re 16, you should be old enough to have learnt that actions have consequences (assuming your parents have imparted that stellar piece of wisdom). An adolescent who has dreams of fame should be reined in by their parents if an audition is the day before a big exam.

Try studying harder two days before the exam. Understand that if you flunk your exam because you were amongst thousands chasing short-lived celebrity, it’s your own fault and don’t sue the council later for lost earning potential.

I have to say, I don’t think this would even be an issue in Singapore. No student would be allowed to go to the audition (parents would probably eyeball their child studying if they had to), so the programme makers wouldn’t even bother. The fact that there is all this hand-wringing shows that teenagers are running riot here.