AIBU to think that Bridget Phillipson is exaggerating the level of middle-class support for VAT on school fees?

[TepidWatersOfManagedDecline]

Bridget Phillipson has been quoted as saying that the policy is supported by "middle-class parents in good professional jobs with housing costs who just can't afford that level of fee" and want "brilliant state schools". www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c86wd1y7v2xo

Is this true, in your experience? Most middle-class parents with professional jobs who I’ve discussed this with think that it’s a spiteful policy (including those who don’t use the independent sector).

AIBU to think that Bridget Phillipson is exaggerating the level of support for the policy?

Pretty much this. Except I don’t think it is clever - a. Most people in the country don’t give a toot, and b. It makes private schools even more elitist. It’s lose lose.

I actually think 90% of the country are entirely indifferent.

Only if they have just one child and grandparents supporting them with eg childcare or a housing deposit, ie they can't actually manage it at all.

I'm from inner city Salford, I now live in a small wealthy village in Sussex. That is my posh South East.

I've not met anyone who is against this.

Have the Labour party committed that the money raised from VAT on private school fees will be ringfenced, solely, for use in the state school system?

I find that 'middle class' people who object to this policy have children in private schools so are directly impacted by the policy and most who supported it have children in state school... I wonder why!

I also find many private school parents (more than state school parents) are incredible rude when they suggest others don't care about their children's education with comments like.."many families prioritise their children's education." etc etc etc

It isn’t accurate. Fees have not increased by 300% in 9 years, on average. The IFS report even shows this.

Given that we haven't ever lived in the catchment of a high-performing state school, but were in between two or three rather mediocre and enormous comprehensives with poor academic records, we moved between private and state for the (one) DC we had. On balance, I don't disagree with VAT on a luxury purchase but I note that no other country applies tax to education because education is usually viewed as desirable, and I doubt it will produce enough revenue to do anything useful.

My comment was in response to a poster saying they couldn’t afford private school on a salary of a quarter of a million pounds a year. My point is that many families would choose to prioritise spending on education over other discretionary spending, on a salary of that level.

Average salary is £37k. So, take home let's say £28k. Then all household expenses. Rent / mortgage. I refuse to believe anyone earning that can afford private school fees

That doesn't make it any better, and you're not the only one. I see it on MN all the time in these kind of discussions.

I am middle class, with 2 children in state primary, and a school governor (so access to school accounts) and am against this policy due to the lack of clarity around figures and targets, and the harm labour has already done to our school budget since coming to power.

I'm also offended on behalf of our wonderful very mixed parent cohort that they need sharp elbowed middle class parents to come in to improve the school, as if the existing parents are not interested enough in their children's education to do this themselves, when they absolutely are!

Only 7% of children are at private schools. The middle class is considerably larger than 7% of families, so, as you say, most are using state.
Edit to clarify I was agreeing with you because it read otherwise at first!

I have no children at fee-paying schools. I wouldn’t send/have sent my children private even if I had the money. I don’t support the policy.

Claims of middle class support by the SoS are pointless. Of course there are middle class parents who support the policy - some, maybe many, of them in the catchment of good state schools they could buy into. The hypocritical middle class left.

But there are lots of middle class parents who don’t use private schools but aren’t driven by spiteful impulses, dressed up as ‘fairness’. They will either have no particular view or will be opposed.

One thing people of all classes know, though, is that VAT on private schools will do sweet Fanny Adams for the state sector. It will be seen to fail so far as schooling overall is concerned and will be a vote-loser.

Because of that I have a feeling that the government will be relieved if the courts declare the policy unlawful. If that happens Phillipson can blame the judges and present herself as some sort of thwarted warrior for equality. She’d never have to explain why attacking and undermining education in one sector did nothing for any other.

They're saying a household earning ~£70k could easily live on ~£35k and spend the rest on private school.

I didn’t say they could. I said that someone earning double the average salary (an example given by a previous poster) could afford private school fees.

Apologies, extra zero added. Meant to say 30%. But it’s a 20% increase in 14 years and 55% increase in 20 years.

Then I fail to see the point. "Some people live on £37k a year" - some people live on less.

I think you’re missing the point. A poster said that families couldn’t afford private school on a salary of a quarter of a million pounds a year. I’m merely pointing out that, yes, of course they could. Many do. There are plenty of private school families earning far less than that.

What is it with these arguments that 90% won’t notice a difference or it only affects a minority.

Are we saying fuck that minority? It’s seems as though we are.

Ah of course that means my point is wrong... seriously, there will be people who do not fit my generalisation but on the whole people take sides based on having skin in the game

I really do not care that people who have enough cash to send their kids to private school might have to pay a bit more because the government are taxing the fees more. I think most people feel similarly. We have all heard the wailing about children being forced into state schools with the other plebs and how the poor parents haven't had a decent holiday in years and have stopped buying clothes for themselves etc etc and frankly most people don't give a monkeys. The vast majority of kids at private school are from very comfortable off families. Their parents will pay a bit more or they won't. The ones whose parents won't will join the rest of us in our comprehensives and will cope.

People with very small mortgages or rent then. Because most people on that salary wouldn't able able to privately educate.

We DO prioritise our children’s education - by supporting them, helping them
with homework, paying attention to them, being involved in their school and our community.
This notion that private parents are somehow caring about their children’s Education when parents who use normal schools are not really BOILs my piss.

Many families prioritise their children’s education.

Yes but choosing state doesn’t mean you aren’t doing the above!