AIBU to reconsider a long friendship over support for education tax?

[CoconutRumcake]

A close friend of over 15 years last night unashamedly said she supported the children’s education tax. To put this in context, she is godmother to my ds and has seen first hand what damage this has done to children and families as well as her own sister losing her job when the school closed. She had maybe drank too much and has apologised over text this morning, but I really can’t shake the feeling that I don’t want to be around her.
AIBU -try and move past it
YANBU -it’s run it’s time

School trips, music lessons, wrap around clubs, additional sports lessons, dance schools, holiday clubs with an educational element, centres for advanced training and private tuition. Some of these actually tax the good decent children we’re supposed to care about and not just the nasty posh 6 year olds,

It’s such a toxic view. With zero appreciation of all the incredibly hard working people who keep the country running but don’t earn enough to live on. It’s incredibly arrogant.

Boredom and hungover.

OP, we've established that wraparound clubs are specifically exempt. I quoted to you the specific exemption. Why perpetuate the lie you fell for?

And again, the others are mostly exempt - depending on who is providing the service.

Or are in an earlier stage, are less skilled and maybe just have progressed less

The top 98%? On the basis of these figures, OP's household income is in the top 2%.

Are you truly this simple?

Completely false.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/finland-schools-down-in-education-rankings

Children are not taxed because they're children. Paid-for services provided for children are subject to VAT, and oarents pay the providers of those services. Those providers may chose whether to pass on all are part of the 20% VAT levied. Numerous posters have explained this and yet you persist in using inaccurate terminology when talking about this wrong you feel so passionately has been inflicted upon you by a heartless government. Will you also be affected by the so-called mansion tax coming down the line?

It’s the most disingenuous phrase I’ve ever heard OP, “the education tax on children”. Clever you for thinking it up though!

Bur there’s a reason no one uses it. I hate the assumption we’re all so bitter and envious of people that can afford private and that’s the only motivator for this.. It’s a tax to raise money that, like all taxes, means some people lose out. I’m sorry your kids did; maybe it won’t bring the benefits it was meant to; but call a spade a spade will you? FFS

I don’t get why listing people’s challenges supports a tax on children’s education. Do you genuinely think an education tax is going to improve anything? Are food banks going to disappear? Is it going to stop war and usher in world peace as well?

You can say the most outrageous targeted punitive tax (of which a children’s education tax definitely is) and then list a a load of issues: food banks, poverty, drug abuse as if there a link. It’s not a reason or a justification

Literally our story

It raises next to nothing compared to the total education budget let alone total budget

It’s exactly what it is though and everyone calls it an education tax as far as I’m aware. Come on, let’s be honest shall we, it is driven by bitterness and envy.

Mine too,maybe not poverty but council house single parent family

Great, let's be honest. Why keep on with the lie about wraparound care if you're all about honesty?

Meanwhile, your inability to see that many people supporting this tax probably aren't even thinking about you at all rather than going "that seems like a fairer place to raise revenue than elsewhere" really is making you sound like one of those mums who tells her daughter the other girls are being mean to her because they're just jealous and can't stand that she's better than them.

I’m not trying to justify the decision by the government to impose VAT on private school fees. Frankly, I don’t feel strongly either way about that policy.

What I am trying to encourage you to consider is that having the ability to have the choice to pay fees for your child’s education is a huge privilege in and of itself, and one not open to the vast majority of parents in this country.

When the revenue being raised from said tax “could” be used to fund much needed improvements to basic services and infrastructure that the majority need / will benefit from, frankly I think you just need to swallow it, as sour as that may taste. The needs of the whole will always trump the interests of the few.

Regardless, I don’t think this subject is grounds to end a friendship.

I'm sorry but you (and also my family) are what the Labour party despise

Come on, let’s be honest shall we, it is driven by bitterness and envy.

Do you genuinely not see the irony in this - you are just bitter and envious of the choices you can no longer afford.

I’m pro banning private education anyway so your point is lost on me

But assuming those with hard work and determination will always be earning £240,000 a year is utterly mistaken. It suggests that's all you need. Rather than privilege, access to work experience, networks etc.

everyone calls it an education tax as far as I'm aware

Well, no they don't, which is why the majority of posters on this thread have challenged you about it.

I think that maybe parents who pay for their children's education may well do, but as most of us have/had children go through the state system the term "education tax" is meaningless.

She means everyone in her privileged little bubble calls it that. She probably doesn’t socialise with the likes of us.