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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

.....to think that a selective school should not allow..

102 replies

curlew · 28/09/2013 11:50

A " chav themed" fancy dress party?

Well, no school should, obviously. But a selective school with an overwhelmingly middle class demographic particularly so, surely????

OP posts:
Tasmania · 29/09/2013 19:55

FWIW - how many people on this thread are actually 'chavs' and find it offensive?

I do wonder sometimes if it is just middle class people to the very left who find this that bad. As someone else already mentioned... Little Britain did it all before.

Flicktheswitch · 29/09/2013 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

catgirl1976 · 29/09/2013 20:00

I wouldn't have thought anyone self-identified as a Chav Confused

Tasmania · 29/09/2013 20:09

catgirl1976

If that's the case, no one should get that upset about this. If no one identifies themselves as a chav, how should it be offensive?

Race, religion, etc. - that's easy to see, because it's very difficult not to identify yourself as a particular race. There are a lot of forms out there that asks you to fill in your race and religion, so it's almost impossible to escape. Hence, making fund of 'chavs' is not quite the same as making fun of a race or religion.

PLUS, who came up with the 'chav' acronym anyway? Chav is not really a certain class. It's a lifestyle choice. Not all poor people dress in silky or velour jogging pants, tight pony tail, fake Burberry bag and a fag in hand! That stuff is probably a little more expensive than normal clothes you get from the supermarket.

catgirl1976 · 29/09/2013 20:11

It's offensive because it is generally mocking the poor

I saw generally as there are a few celebs who have lots of money and would still fit the label, but even then they are being mocked for being working / under class and not knowing how to spend their newly made money "correctly"

It is offensive

Tasmania · 29/09/2013 20:16

Why would "the poor" wear clothes that are more expensive than most normal clothes?!? It's a lifestyle choice. And the attitude that goes along with it.

They can wear what most other people wear, and not be labeled with the C word. But hey, it seems being a chav is seen as better than being normal and boring. Hence, normal and boring kids get bullied at school.

Baffles me.

catgirl1976 · 29/09/2013 20:17

Maybe they like those clothes or brand and don't think they are "chavvy"?

I don't think they go "Oh....a Burberry Onsie....that's really chavvy, I will get that"

Original poster
curlew · 30/09/2013 15:33

Chav and poor are not synonyms.

OP posts:
PractialJoke · 30/09/2013 16:10

I live in a very "chavvy " area. People do identify themselves as chavs and will laugh at themselves and each over it.

Like so may thong, the offence is generally taken by white middle class people who habeas had very little contact with the group concerned.

Was Catherine Tate/Little Britain so bad.

FWIW I do think the school was wrong mainly because of the passing 11+ makes you better than everyone else lesson mentioned previously.

Pigsmummy · 30/09/2013 16:15

It's very funny but wrong.

Original poster
curlew · 30/09/2013 20:55

Could you explain to me how it's funny?

OP posts:
Tabby1963 · 30/09/2013 21:14

What about a "Tarts and Vicars" theme...?

nilbyname · 30/09/2013 21:22

That is totally fucked up. Really messed up of the school, no wonder the eton run cabinet thinks the rest if us is noisome oiks.

I despair, I really do.

ReallyTired · 30/09/2013 21:31

"It was the kid's idea. There is always a fancy dress party at the end of the residential and the kids plan for it beforehand and organise it when they get there."

Surely its the teachers responsiblity to stamp down such immaturity and obnoxious behaviour. Children should never be allowed to get away with mocking the poor who might actually be more intelligent than they are!

Original poster
curlew · 01/10/2013 08:40

Chav and poor are not synonyms

OP posts:
FreudiansSlipper · 01/10/2013 08:55

i can just imagine the parents of some of these children pointing their fingers at chavy people and sneering to make themselves feel better, sadly it is passed on to the children

it is a horrible idea and the teachers should have said no

Hullygully · 01/10/2013 08:55

Oh
My
God

Thisisaeuphemism · 01/10/2013 09:02

The school were v wrong and it's a horrid snobby thing to do.

Nothing new about it of course. It used to be Essex girl etc that got the piss taken out of them. Never particularly bothered me but it was a good indicator of who is a twat.

BurberryQ · 01/10/2013 09:06

CHAV although meaning council housing and violent isn't restricted to people living in council houses or violent as the term has digressed
no it does not mean that as others have already pointed out.
it is from the Romani meaning young boy - although these days it is used as a shorthand for 'poor'.
I wish people would educate themselves a bit.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/10/2013 09:08

chav is directed at many celebs and footballers who are certainly not poor

BurberryQ · 01/10/2013 09:10

hmm perhaps the term ' a bit chavvy' yes - but 'chav' itself seems to have morphed into an insult from junior school on, directed at those perceived to have less money.

BurberryQ · 01/10/2013 09:12

belive me I have heard it directed at my son from floppy haired middle class oiks, I think my son's short blond hair didn't help.

FreudiansSlipper · 01/10/2013 09:12

i guess so with children

in the end it is a class thing, our obsession with class in this country though of course some of us do not fit in anywhere others desperate to fit in somewhere and this often starts from how children are bought up :(

Kleinzeit · 01/10/2013 09:15

How stupid can staff at the selective school be? Apart from the generally poor taste theme (have they considered tarts'n'tramps for next year?), if staff let the kids name another other local school as chavs then that is going to encourage fighting out of school. I'll bet that's going to make your local community policeman very happy (not).

AbiRoad · 01/10/2013 09:18

This is reminding me a bit of the film Nativity.

I agree that this is awful, but please let's not tar all selective schools with the same brush. DDs go to a selective school and their school would be appalled at this kind of stuff. I appreciate that there are some genuine reasons for people being against selective education, but to me this shows an issue with the particular school rather than an issue with selective education as a whole.