I would never put my principles before giving my child a decent education and I would have done the same in Diane Abbott's position - sent my son to a school that gave him a better chance. But then, given my views, I would not enter politics and had I done so, would certainly not have lambasted my colleagues for sending their children to private school.
I think Diane Abbot had was faced with an extreme situation. Her nearest state school was not just 'failing' children, it was, in particular failing black boys.
I have googled in her name and here's a bit of her article Jan 6 2002 from the Observer:
"There is a silent catastrophe happening in Britain's schools in the way they continue to fail black British school-children. When African and Afro-Caribbean children enter the school system at five they do as well as white and Asian children in tests. By 11 their achievement levels begin to drop off. By 16 there has been a collapse. And this is particularly true of black boys - 48% of all 16-year-old boys gain five GCSEs, grades A to E. Only 13% of black boys in London achieve this standard. In some boroughs the figure is even worse.
This is not a new issue. As long ago as 1977 a House of Commons select committee on race relations and immigration reported that 'as a matter of urgency the Government should institute a high-level and independent inquiry into the causes of the underachievement of children of West Indian origin in maintained schools and the remedial action required'. But in 1999 Ofsted, in its publication, Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils, said: 'The gap between Afro-Caribbean pupils and the rest of the school population continues to widen.'
But it is an issue no one wants to address. Ministers and advisors talk endlessly about social exclusion and the problems of children for whom English is a second language. You can discuss the underachievement of boys. But not how the system fails black boys. Research both in this country and the United States shows that black boys need men in the classroom. They simply do not see reading or educational attainment as masculine or 'cool'. Although this also applies to white working-class boys, strategies designed to address male under-achievement in general are not working with black boys."
I have not the knowlegde to comment on how correct this viewpoint is, but from what I can gather Diana Abbott, at the very same time she was ridiculed for opting out of state educating her son, was also active in trying to force through changes in the state education system.
This is taken from an article by Gaby Hinsliff January 6, 2002 in the Observer
"Abbott, who will stage a conference in March to highlight what she calls a 'silent catastrophe', argues in an article in today's Observer that as schools are primarily staffed by women, 'it would be remarkable if all white women teachers were entirely free from the racial stereotypes that permeate this society about black men.'
Teenage black boys are 'often bigger than their white counterparts and may come from a culture which is more physical,' she adds. 'It seems a black boy doesn't have to be long out of disposable nappies for some teachers to see him as a miniature gangster rapper.'
The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington now wants Education Secretary Estelle Morris to issue national guidelines for closing the gap between the school performance of black and white children"
I know one can argue that parents have as much responsiblity as schools to ensure their children reach their potential. But if a certain group of children in your local state school are statistically at a disadvantage, and your child happens to be in that group, would you by choice send your child to that school?