To think that it is hypocritical to be anti Private,Selective or Single Sex Schools when you have benefited from them.

[smokepole]

Having read many threads on this site and having read a couple in particular today, it seems that "most" of the posters on here have benefited from these types of schools. However, time and time again you read these people slating Grammar , Private and single sex schools. This is so hypocritical that the posters who have had the benefit of the best of the education system, seem so anti any form of selection for today's children.

I had the misfortune of being educated in a Secondary Modern in Kent in the 1980s . There are not many Secondary Modern educated posters on this site, which goes to show how fortunate the majority of posters on here were with their educations. These people are like "Champagne Socialists" having benefited from superior educations, but seek to deny the opportunities for future generations. "DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO" springs to mind with these posters who espouse the merits of Comprehensive education, having not being educated through the Comprehensive system themselves.

The other point is that many posters achieved more in life because of the selective nature of their educations than they would have done in a comprehensive education system

You have no way of knowing that. In any case, as I said, a lot of posters here will have attended comprehensives.

I don't think you're crazy. I think you're spending a lot of time dwelling on your education (or lack thereof) despite having built what sounds like a pretty good life - one plenty of people with private educations might envy.

Which seems like a real shame.

YABU
Through no fault of my own I lived in a selective schooling catchment, passed the 11+ and ended up at a single sex grammar school.
I had an appalling time there - hated every second.
My so-called privileged education did me no favours. I didn't benefit from it one iota - in fact it has had a very detrimental affect on my life.
I sincerely wish I'd gone to the local comprehensive.

I went to a single sex grammar it wasn't right for me at all. But I can see it might be right for my offspring (were they not as lazy as me...) I am anti private primary schools in grammar school areas but other than that. Do whatever the fuck you want

People who have benefitted from these schools did not make the decision to go to them. Their parents will ultimately have decided for them, even if the child got some say.

However, once they have benefitted from that education, they are able to make their own minds up as to what kind of education system they believe in.

So, no, not hypocritical at all.

I don't think anyone who is against private or grammar schools is seeking to deny chances to bright children. I want all children to have an equal chance to achieve their potential, and this can, and should, happen through a high quality of education at state comprehensives.

I went to a private girls' school. At the time, for various reasons, it was what my parents thought would be best for me. I did enjoy it mostly, but there were aspects of it that were definitely bonkers, and I loathed the rather boring approach to learning and the assumptions of superiority that seemed to be part of the 'culture'. I also couldn't stand the arrogant, patronising boys who attended the partner school on the foundation.

I'm sending my children to co-ed comprehensives. It's not hypocritical but a positive choice based on the type of education I want them to get and the type of people I want them to grow up to be.

I haven't seen this hypocrisy that you're on about, but if it does exist, then has it occurred to you that people might object to a certain type of school because they went to one, and didn't feel they benefitted? You are assuming that one of those type of school is automatically better, and it isn't always.

Private, grammar, and especially single sex schools are not always something that offers positive benefits over the alternative for every single child.

I went to a private, selective girls school. I am against private education and my dcs go to state schools.

My parents (who, funnily enough chose my school) paid every bill, in full and on time, so I'll have whatever opinions I like, thanks.

The proof is above you "Mrs Devere"!. look how many posters say Grammar private or Single sex when questioned what schools they attended on recent or previous threads.

Perhaps I should start talking about Politics or Social science issues! .

I did post recently that behaving badly was not to be accepted/expected from people suffering with Autism or symptoms. I was able to post that after suffering Undiagnosed for 41 years finally being diagnosed two weeks ago.

I think I need to expand which areas I post in...

I was privately educated and fail to see why adults shouldn't have opinions that differ from those of their parents, or even their much younger selves, in some cases.
I am not against private education and would (am?) considering it for my Dcs.

I'm sorry you're suffering. My DS so far hasn't suffered from his ASD.

Behaviour, acceptable or otherwise is a social construct and as such there is no 'bad' behaviour, but simply 'behaviour'.

The proof isn't on this thread that most posters had a privileged education. Only a small number of posters have replied and some of them went to comprehensive schools.

A secondary modern ISN'T the comprehensive system, you numpty!

Comprehensive schooling is the OPPOSITE of dividing people up into grammar and secondary modern.

You were IN the grammar/secondary modern system! You had all the "benefits" of that system - and you failed to get into the grammar! Like 70% of people under grammar/sec mod system (or whatever the % is).

And now you're
a) complaining about the grammar/secondary mod system, AND
b) complaining that other people are also against the grammar/secondary mod system and would like it replaced with true comprehensives.

Short version:

You were IN the selective system. And it selected you as FAIL.

As it does the majority.

Lots of posters on this thread had a so-called 'privileged' education, yes - but look at your thread title! They've opened it to find out why they're 'hypocrites'. Go on to a Crafts or Doghouse or Recipes thread (or rather don't, but if you did) and I think you'd get a very different response.

I'm sorry you've had a tough time. Given what we knew 20 years ago, you might well have had a shit time at any school, though.

And I still think that you need a bit of work on your self-esteem. If you were confident in your own worth you wouldn't be thinking about schools so much.

I went to a single sex state comp.

I'm pro-comprehensive but against single sex schools.

Is that allowed?

Most people answered that they did go to a selective/grammar school because your opening post is a leading one. I read your thread before but didn't post because I went to a comp and so didn't feel I could contribute to an answer.

My education was really good; good enough certainly to know that you cannot draw conclusions from the small sample size of replies on a single thread and assume that they are reliable in any way.

What you describe isn't hypocritical. Me, I'm ideologically opposed to private education but intend to send dd to a private school. Now THAT'S hypocritical! (and I'll still do it).

I went to a Secondary Modern.

Shit teaching but that had more to do with the 80's and 90's being the wilderness years of education imo.

My brother went to the super selective grammar. Same teaching methods, just children at the time I suppose who could work with those methods and a high level of competition?

I'm sure there were some terrific teachers teaching then but for the most, copying out of textbooks does not a good teacher make.

Do they actually teach how to structure an essay now? I had such a wake up call at university. It was embarrassing.

You do tend to focus on this subject op, are you alright?

My son attends an independent special school (la funded). He wouldn't need to if the state sector provided the right provision for children with asd.

I know a couple of people who went to a very exclusive boarding school and neither privately educate their children. One is a teacher in the state sector and the other has his own business.

I don't know the reasoning behind their decision (I've never asked), but I imagine they are very happy with their state options and don't see the need to privately educate. However, they have never slated their education and I know it has opened some doors for them career wise which would otherwise have been closed. If they did have issues with the way they were educated I wouldn't say they were hypocrites. Paying for a private education doesn't necessarily give you the best school for your child. It just gives you more options.

You make the best decision available to you at the time. If your state options aren't good (and you aren't willing to feign religious belief) then you have the choice of moving (which doesn't necessarily guarantee the school you want anyway) or paying for private.

Oh yes and it's not hypocritical to disagree with a choice you didn't make in the first place!