to think private schools having charitable status is taking the piss

[zanz1bar]

Most private schools have their charitable status as an accident of history. Does a school like Eton really deserve the same financial status as the NSPCC.

Can it really be justified by a few subsidized places.

But seriously, I know quite a few PS parents who wonder whether they are doing the right thing. Same for state school parents. It is not an easy choice and i agree poster above who said that some of us find it difficult to be altuistic with our children's futures. That is not to say that PS is best as we aren't 100pc sure; are we?

But you obviously feel quite snobbish towards those who send their kid's to private schools or you wouldn't accuse them of snobbery and selfishness.

Just to be clear, my sons are state educated, the oldest already at sec school. It breaks my heart that his education is compromised so severely by the micro-management of teaching, the obsession with exams, and the watering-down of exam standards.

I want him to be stretched. I don't give a damn about class. I and DH are both in jobs that pay peanuts, despite or even because of our higher-education qualifications (which my brill comprehensive school paved the way for). State education is really in the opits at the moment. I don't really know how reliably better the private alternatives are -- don't have the money to make the research worthwhile. But I would get the best education I could for my dss.

Go on Morloth - we do like you no nonsense straight to the point approach

I think that's a bit of a semantic nothingness of a response

I don't consider anybody to be inferior to me or my children

but I do dislike some people on an individual basis - snobs for example

but I don't dislike everybody whose children are at private school, although I think they have made a bad choice and would tell them so

I have gotten worse as I have gotten older Tdiddy well on my way to being the mad old woman who just says whatever she likes.

No point dressing it up - not on the internet where people's opinions have no bearing.

Disliking someone is the same as being snobby. I don't like people who swear in public, beat their kids and feed them shit. I am quite snobbish about it really and want my kid to have as little exposure to it as possible. I can buy him that, so I do.

And here's silly me thinking we'd sorted the whole thing out earlier today!

It doesn't seem like people are looking for solutions, rather an opportunity for a good moan about class, snobbery and fairness. Greensleeves, have you read the thread? What are you on about?

Does anyone else here really get irked by facile sterotyping?

No, I think snobbery and dislike are different. Dislike is an individual and empirical process - snobbery is more generalised and usually proceeds out of fear and ignorance.

I was responding specificallyto Morloth's phlosophy of maintaining a tight social circle of pafflient private-school peers - not the thread as a whole

but yes, I have read it

as I have read the 50,000 previous threads on the same topic

pafflient

affluent

Yes, Grimma.

really? does that include your own gross generalisations and assumptions about state education?

Just to defend myself here. I have been out all day, but a post I made early this morning saying that the main reason that parents choose to educate in the independent sector is because they value education.

I did not say they were the only people to value education. But that is the main, but not only, reason for educating privately.

By making a simple statement, I did not imply anything about the converse.

Some people need to step back and actually read the posts before reacting inappropriately.

I really love 'pafflient'. I wish it was a word.

Could mean 'affluent pals' I suppose.

Not on the internets Grimma I pretty much assume everyone is a mad troll.

It isn't a tight circle Greensleeves but yes most of the people I would call friends are quite affluent. I am not sorry at all about that.

lol at you all assuming that somebody disagreeing with your posts must mean that they have not read them properly

there's that lovely public school social polish you all covet for your offspring

Sorry Green, so you weren't intending to refer to any of us other pro-independent posters with your snobbery comment?

Being open minded or not is nothing to do with whether you choose indie or state school for your kids.
We are a fairly unconventional family, and have friends from all walks of life. All nationalities. All sexualities.
Also we foster, so have lots of different types of kids coming through our door.
By all means paint indie schoolers as a bunch of snobs but...you're wrong.

Also I volunteer in my local primary and some of the parents there are vile. They are racist, homophobic thugs who do not deserve the beautiful chidren they've been blessed with. State school isn't making them kind and opne minded and generous anymore than indie school is making me and mine mean.

Not specifically - I was posting to Morloth - but I do think snobbery, selfishness and fear of the unknown (ie people from other socio-economic backgrounds) are often powerful factors in the choice of private education

which is what makes the whole mess so divisive and damaging to society as a whole

or pissed off affluent

plenty of racist homophobic thuggery in private schools too

and bullying, and eating disorders, and drugs and all the other problems parents fear

you are not buying a ticket out of the anxieties of adolescence - it's sad that people think that is what they are paying for.

I didn't say anything about having read the thread. Don't care, I pretty much skim threads and jump right in all the time.

Reminds me a scene from Kath and Kim where Kimmy kept saying "I waaaant to be effluent Mum" and Kath responds "But you are effluent Kimmy".

That show reminds me of my sister's (and hence myself) so much it is terrifying.