Eton College apologises after allegations pupils jeered visiting state schoolgirls

[sunnydaytoday0]

If true, why has no one been expelled?

www.theguardian.com/education/2022/nov/18/eton-college-apologises-after-allegations-pupils-jeered-visiting-state-schoolgirls

Private school sanctions a number of boys after investigation into misogynistic language and racial slurs.

Eton College has apologised and “sanctioned” a number of pupils after allegations that a group of girls visiting from a nearby state school were subjected to misogynistic language, racial slurs and jeering.

The boys’ private school near Windsor, Berkshire, told the BBC that an investigation took place into the incident which occurred during a speech by Nigel Farage last week.

A person, who said they were a parent of one of the girls who attended the speech, wrote on social media anonymously that the students were booed inside the lecture theatre and were subjected to “racial slurs” and “generally misogynistic comments”. They said of the private school pupils: “Their behaviour was awful.”
The poster also said that Eton boys had cheered Farage’s “worst comments on migrants and Covid”.

The college told the BBC it had apologised “unreservedly” for the “totally unacceptable” behaviour.

We had anti abortion people come to speak/lecture to us at our religious secondary school (in Ireland). This was in the late 80's

The difference was that we packed up our bags and left the room and refused to listen to them. I'm proud that we made that stand. These boys however dont seem to have developed a moral compass to react similarly to someone as odios as Nigel Farage and that's what is concerning. 30 years later!

Oh and just to add... one of the comments made my the speaker was 'when young girls wear mini skirts they are asking for trouble'. Can you imagine?

Any 16 or 17 year old has enough critical thinking not to behave in a way those boys did or to react in a mysognistic or racist manner. That is a horrible indication of how they have been educated and how they have been brought up. No excuses.

Is there anywhere a person can see what was said just before or after that particular comment.

Gosh, that's awful. I don't personally think they should be expelled though. After all they are still just kids. It's not the same as adults behaving in that manner. I think they need to be educated, and maybe need to spend time with more 'normal' people. But then again, I'm strongly opposed to the whole concept of private schools; and would see them all converted into comprehensives.
I know someone who went to a top public school. He's actually lovely, and didn't fit in at all. He said the bullying was off the charts, and took the weirdest forms. His parents wanted him to go to Oxbridge; but he refused, as he'd had enough of public school 'types'. He made a point of going to a uni with a very high state school intake. He still has PTSD from his school days. Some very damaged people emerge from those institutions.
I hope the poor girls who were taunted are doing OK 😔
Disclaimer - I went to the local co-ed comp!

@MrsThimbles

Is there anywhere a person can see what was said just before or after that particular comment.

That comment was one from that poster's school, rather than from Eton.

@Hillcrest2022 I personally think it is great when they invite controversial people to speak. The Oxford Union invited Nick Griffin and David Irving once I believe.

Nigel Farage was a democratically elected politician. I don't think it reflects badly on the children who decided to watch the debate (the well behaved ones that is). I don't think we can make any assumptions about a child's moral compass if they choose to take part in a debate. This is education.

@duckbilly Oxford Union? they are adults, able to vote.

Like i said, can't have it both ways, these are either children, who lack understanding and hence shouldn't be subject to extreme views or they are not and should be punished as adults would be.

@walkinginsunshinekat what would you like to see happen to them though? Immediate expulsion? YOI? I guess I am defending children against adults who are judging them by different standards because of their parent's decisions.

You get children being idiots everywhere. They are also not immune to problems and emotional difficulties either just because their parents are wealthy. To me any child that uses misogynistic or racist slurs in 2022 suggests they need some kind of mental health input. It is not normal. Why are they seeking attention. What are they lacking emotionally?

Posters on here dehumanise children because they went to a public school. It is wrong.

The worst bulllying I have ever experienced was from white middle class girls in a state school

@walkinginsunshinekat extreme views? Not really THAT extreme really in the context of geopolitics is it. It is such a shame that society seems to want to shut down debate and deplatform people.

I have old Etonians in my friendship circle and they're lovely, modest, respectful and vaguely sheepish about their school.

They're more successful than your average person (one is a business owner with many employees) and I'm pretty certain they wouldn't where they are without their privilege. Old etonians often seem to fall into positions of power which is way this story is very, very important.

So at least we have now moved on from these are not children and are now capable of discerning views from, shall we say, controversial figures on complex geopolitics...... ?

I think if you use posters from the Nazi era and think migrants should be allowed to drown in the channel, by not rescuing them, most normal people would consider this extreme.

My kids (who are at a private school) are jeered at on a daily basis by the pupils from the local state school....My children used cry when they were younger at all the name calling from. much older children, but they now ignore it. What's the difference??

Neither is right

@whattodo2019 that is awful for them. I went to a private school and have spent my whole life hiding it from people (not on mumsnet!) because I am so ashamed to be associated with institutions that turn out people who think they are better than anyone else because their parents paid for them to go to school.

I spent my teen years dubbed “posh” at my state school as I didn’t have a local accent and worked hard. To be fair it wasn’t malicious. Then at university I got in with the public school set and was the lower class one of that group who went to a comp and not st Mary’s wantage and couldn’t row 😁 so can’t win!

Can't believe anyone is surprised!

Is there any reasonable, logical and pleasant way of saying that lifeboats should not go out for immigrants in difficulties in the Channel? I mean, he is basically saying that it's fine to let immigrants drown.

This story really is appalling.

Pupils should be expelled for this and Farage should not have been invited to speak in the first place.

We have already seen that Eton has given us a crop of entitled, arrogant and all together vile politicians and this is just another insight into the type of learning they offer and the consequences to it.

''Nurturing'' yet another generation of misogynist, racist and self-serving men.

What's the difference? One is punching up, the other is punching down! Punching down is by most decent people deemed more off limit!

What's the difference? One is punching up, the other is punching down! Punching down is by most decent people deemed more off limit!

Also, this took place on school premises, presumably with staff present, where invited guests were subjected to misogynistic and racist slurs.

I'm disgusted that some seem to think that suspension is too severe a punishment and are seemingly far more concerned about the perpetrators than the victims. If racial abuse doesn't warrant suspension, what does?

@AllPlayedOut who says the children's behaviour shouldn't warrant suspension? Can't see that anywhere

AllPlayedOut who says the children's behaviour shouldn't warrant suspension? Can't see that anywhere

You've spent much of this thread rather fervently defending and downplaying the actions of the boys who subjected those girls to that abuse, while seemingly being far more perturbed by the boys being called twats than by the girls being racially abused and you've described suspension as "very severe" which rather suggests that you think it's disproportionate. I don't think it's at all severe. It's entirely fair and appropriate under the circumstances.

Bah, the aim of Eton is not to be well mannered or express gratitude for the privilege - of all private/public schools it is the worst for producing contemptuous unfeeling children. The fact is you cannot afford to have any sensitivity - it is metaphorically beaten out of you by your peers.

That is why some people like it, imo. The whole school will pick on you until you conform and are ranked.

@AllPlayedOut I agree. The punishment is both very severe and completely appropriate.

@LexMitior my case in point. These are children. Grown adults having such venom about children is really quite abnormal.