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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder how one would go about abolishing private schools?

466 replies

Chuffin · 19/07/2019 16:41

If anyone is following the @abolisheton campaign, they state their aim is to integrate private schools into the public sector and hope this to be included in Labours next manifesto.

My children are about to start independent school, having had a terrible time for a whole host of reasons in their state primary.

Aside from the moral argument for or against private schools, I am very interested in whether it would be legally possible to abolish private schools and how this would happen? Would this even be feasible realistically?

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 17:41

Who, me? I’ve already said I don’t think abolishing private schools is doable. I would like to see the possibility discussed though.

JacquesHammer · 21/07/2019 17:42

I’ve already said I don’t think abolishing private schools is doable

Quite the change of heart over the time I’ve been on MN. Wonder why.....

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 17:45

Whenever I see people going on about Socialists and Stalinism, I can’t help thinking of retired colonels in Agatha Christie novels breeding spaniels and harmphing about the post war government and drinking sherry with Miss Marple.

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 17:47

“I’ve already said I don’t think abolishing private schools is doable”

Not saying I don’t want it- I’ve never thought it was really feasible.

CendrillonSings · 21/07/2019 17:49

I’ve already said I don’t think abolishing private schools is doable.

How nice of you to slightly walk back your support of a gross infringement on a parent's human right to educate their child as they please, albeit on the basis of the policy's impracticality rather than its immorality. Forgive me if I don't stand and applaud.

Whenever I see people going on about Socialists and Stalinism, I can’t help thinking of retired colonels in Agatha Christie novels breeding spaniels and harmphing about the post war government and drinking sherry with Miss Marple.

Perhaps because of your deep ignorance of what happens when a country is destroyed by socialist authoritarianism.

puppy23 · 21/07/2019 17:56

Every independent prep/primary school has specific sports teachers, art and music teachers, drama staff, Science technicians grounds people etc etc.

Every state school I know also has all these?

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 17:58

“Perhaps because of your deep ignorance of what happens when a country is destroyed by socialist authoritarianism.”

No. Because of my knowledge that if Corbyn ever gets to be prime minister (which he won’t) the government he would head would be neither socialist, communist, Leninist or authoritarian.

CendrillonSings · 21/07/2019 18:08

Because of my knowledge that if Corbyn ever gets to be prime minister (which he won’t) the government he would head would be neither socialist, communist, Leninist or authoritarian.

Oh, well that's OK then. I'm sure we can trust both your privileged knowledge of Corbyn's plans and your complete lack of sympathy towards authoritarian left-wing solutions in evaluating them.

Mysterian · 21/07/2019 18:17

The school I work in has classes of 12-15 children. Will the state keep that up? Can't get 30 children in classrooms made for 15. Can't make them bigger as it's grade 2 listed, same as the Capability Brown grounds so you can't build there. The state taking over the school would mean shutting it and building a new school nearby. That's not really "integrating" the school into the state system.

sionnachbeag · 21/07/2019 18:18

Or you can look at the Labour manifesto which us neither Lenninist, authoritarian or communist. It does have socialist elements as do all countries.

Inaccurate hyperbole undermines your argument.

Dapplegrey · 21/07/2019 18:18

Who, me? I’ve already said I don’t think abolishing private schools is doable. I would like to see the possibility discussed though.

Bertrand what’s the point of discussing the possibility if there’s no possibility of it happening?
If you think Corbyn’s government will be neither socialist, communist, Leninist or authoritarian, then what do you think it will be?

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 18:20

“If you think Corbyn’s government will be neither socialist, communist, Leninist or authoritarian, then what do you think it will be?”

Labour.

Mysterian · 21/07/2019 18:20

Anti-Semitic?

Tallgreenbottle · 21/07/2019 18:21

So rather than aim higher you want us all to be down in the gutter? Great thinking that.

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 18:24

Thing is- I don’t thing going to a state school can be described as being in the gutter. So it’s hard for me to engage with that last post, if it was intended for me.

CruCru · 21/07/2019 18:32

Realistically I can’t see this happening. It would cost a total fortune and the government will have bigger fish to fry.

It’s a bit like that proposal by Jeremy Corbyn to identify empty properties in London and hand them over to people made homeless by the Grenfall disaster (despite them being owned by someone). It’s political posturing.

CendrillonSings · 21/07/2019 18:34

If Labour actually got in and enacted this shit, the party promising to repeal it would be in line to receive one hell of a donation - the annual fees for a private school, perhaps!

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 18:36

You do know it’s not Labour Party policy, don’t you?

CendrillonSings · 21/07/2019 18:37

It’s a bit like that proposal by Jeremy Corbyn to identify empty properties in London and hand them over to people made homeless by the Grenfall disaster (despite them being owned by someone). It’s political posturing.

Amazing how Labour's fondest dreams always seem to involve the words 'ban' and 'confiscate', isn't it?

Boomwhatwasthis · 21/07/2019 18:37

Wait until everyone has gone home, then burn them down. Job done.

mainstreet · 21/07/2019 18:39

No Labour should be Kate Hoey, Frank Field, and Liz Kendall not a bunch of characters who belong in a 1950s Socialist indoctrination video from East Germany !

BertrandRussell · 21/07/2019 18:39

“Amazing how Labour's fondest dreams always seem to involve the words 'ban' and 'confiscate', isn't it?”

I really don’t think they do....

CendrillonSings · 21/07/2019 18:39

You do know it’s not Labour Party policy, don’t you?

Given how far left Labour and its supporters are, and the fact that a former Labour leader is fronting the campaign, it's only a matter of time before they adopt it. Better not to wait until one's head is already in the lion's mouth before starting to worry about it.

SlowMoFuckingToes · 21/07/2019 18:41

I wish labour wouldn't entertain nonsense like this. I fucking despair. It just hands the vote to the tories over what? Political posturing? The tories have made a complete mess of brexit. Labour should have been poised to jump on it. But nope. They are still running in circles spouting crap like this that alienates even more moderate voters. Why not have solid proposals that address big issues not fucking this. Current Labor is a just so inept.

sionnachbeag · 21/07/2019 18:42

So using your logic we can expect the return of the death penalty, corporal punishment, bans on abortion, privatisation of the NHS and all other national owned organisations?

Just because these policies are backed by a good number of tory MPs and lots of voters.

You really are rather ridiculous