State school teachers sending their own children to private schools

[abitwobbly]

AIBU to think we are not immoral or anti state and that we have just chosen the right school for our child??

OP YANBU, its all about personal choice.

Wow, interesting thread!
So true, as Southeastastra says, in an ideal world all education should be equal, but its not, so people with money will always try to buy some advantage for their kids and why not? Nothing wrong with that. What strikes me as wrong is that they are judged badly for doing so.

You could argue that peole who opt out of State education are actually doing the State a favour because they are still paying taxes for a place at State school while not actually burdoning the State with the expense of having to educate their child!

So, abitwobbly, YA definately NBU!! You must have had very good reasons and your kids best interests at heart when choosing their school.

Btw, Abitwobbly, What made you pose the question, have people told you that you are being unreasonable?

There is a massive flaw in the arguements of those opposing this.

They are assuming that it is only the parent who is a teacher is responsible for making the decision about their own child's education.

In reality it is normally two parents who make that decision. Quite likely one of those parents are not a teacher. But surely they shpuld get a say too?

I find the notion that state school teachers must toe the party line very odd indeed.

When nurses critisise the NHS saying it's underfunded, that management aren't putting patients first, that the government are undermining their ability to do their job safely etc we listen.

We accept that they want to be the best nurses they can be, but are frustrated/shocked/angered by what they see.

But teachers it seems are supposed to only ever say positive things about the system.
Why?
It doesn't mena they ar eless committed to the system, just that they can see its flaws.

It seems very strange to me. Teachers have the same choice as anyone else. It is like saying that an employee of Tesco can't shop in Waitrose. It is your choice-and is nothing to do with others.

It is daft to say that choice of supermarket is in any way the same as choice of education. It isn't.

If you teach in the state system but have no hope whatsoever that it could ever be good enough for your own children, do you then go to work every day knowing in your heart that you're adding no value at all, that you cannot benefit the kids you teach in any way, with the best will in the world?

If so, you might be in the wrong profession.

But Joan, not one teacher on here has said that. In fact, I actually said I thought that teaching was often just as good in the state sector.

And I don't think you can say oh education is precious and different from all other advantages. What about housing?

i love my job but at the end of the day it is only a job and i'd put my children 1st.
I fail to see why teachers are expected to be any different to any other profession - why should they be trying to "save the world". It is a job - it is simply teaching.

are you not happy with your teacher or your school? Then you are parents should be trying to change things - you have more of a vested interest than the people who work there,

But if you don't think it's good enough for your kids, how can you possibly think it's good enough for the poor little fuckers who can't pay their way out?

Well yes there's that too.
I put my all in and I am probably more emotionally invested than most people are in their jobs but I'm not their mother. I'm there to teach them not to give over my life to their cause.

I'm not a priest!

Of course we add value otherwise there would be no point going to work everyday. Just because I chose something else for my children doesn't affect my job at all and it is ridiculous to think it would.

yes but where teachers send their children is really a separate issue to is the state school doing a good enough job educating your children.

If you are happy with your school then who cares were your teachers children go?

If you are not happy - is it your teacher's fault?

I am happy (though according to mumsnet logic I have heard, this obviously means I live in a £500k house in a leafy catchment and bought my place blah blah. Didn't, but that's neither here nor there.....)

If one of my daughters' teachers turned out to send their kids private, all I can say is I would think a lot less of them.

If I was not happy with the school then yes, I think it would be reasonable to think that some of that would be down to some of the teachers, probably?

(I teach in a private school where my children go but I think there are some things the state school does better. I have said on here before you get good and bad teachers in both sectors. Woudl I be happy for my child to go to my local state school - yes I live in a great area and have a good state school! Why don't they - because it is convenient for me to pick them up. I get free after school care, they love the sport)

Free after school care ha ha ha! You're paying, love!

I think the reasons teachers move their children to private is not because of the quality of teaching - it has been said on here it is because of class sport (and for me sporting facilites) - class teachers don't influence this

I think FWTW state schools often offer better services in terms of SEN and modern teaching methods and often better ICT

I spent a lot of years working with children in the crae system...I can tell you joan it is not good enough for any children.

Due to resources, it probably never will be.

Does that mean all the professionals should step out of the arena? Surely the fact that it isn't good enough, means they should stay and do the best they can do?

(JoanofArgos - a huge reduction on school fees - less than after school care at local state school)

JoanofArgos - if the teacher was outstanding, inspirational and fully committed to getting the best out of every student would you seriously think less of them if they sent their child to a private school. Surely your only concern should be how they do their job.

Also, if the only teachers who are allowed to teach in state are those who are utterly positive, where is the driver for change and imporvement?

So what have you to say about my situation then Joan? I work in an excellent school which I would be more than happy for DD to go to, however it is in a system that is being shut down by the LA.

As such we (that is my DH and I as he has just as much say in her education as I do) have decided that private will offer her the education that the LA are taking away from children in our area (move from three tier to two tier, badly managed, costs spiralling, schools filled to the rafters so class sizes are horrendous in the areas that have already been done over )

The crae (you mean state, right?) isn't good enough for any children? Really? I'm just checking that's what you mean before I comment.

Dippin, if they were that committed to getting the best, and really were getting the best, then why would they not send their child there?

That's a hypothetical teacher you're talking about, obviously, and I sort of doubt that those are the teachers who would consider the state system below their own children. But if my daughter's absolute best teacher ever turned out to send his or her children privately - yep, I'd think less of them.

You don't have to spend 500k on a house to be in the catchment of a good school. The outstanding school I taught in until a few years ago was in one of the most deprived areas of the country.

Expensive catchments only back up the argument that social mix can often be the same in both sectors.

However, many parents who use state schools in these areas (teachers included) would consider more than half of state schools 'not good enough' for their children. Thought attitudes aren't the preserve of fee paying parents.

Chaotica, just for you.

www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/gever_tulley_on_5_dangerous_things_for_kids.html