Why is it considered okay to go in for private-school-bashing?

[nellyraggbagg]

I met a friend today, who launched into a full-scale rant against 'shiny private school children'. As my DS is one of these 'shiny private school children', I thought it rather offensive. We are not fabulously wealthy; we don't have a 4WD or designer clothes; we can't afford to go on holiday anywhere, never mind abroad; we have shelved all plans to move house so that we can afford school fees. Why, oh why do people think it's acceptable to be rude to someone because of their school choice? I'd never dream of talking about her 'illiterate, chavvy, hoody state school children'!!

My son is truely gorgous and state educated. I think he would do well whatever school he went to.

But is he shiny? That's the thing.

Quattro -- my ds is at a state primary where they make the children wear ties and tuck their shirts in, much to ds's horror. Does that count as shiny?

Ooh, islandofsodor, I am so with you on that one!!! Can you not stand for parliament?!
It was the SATS thing that did it for us - and the fact that the children at DS's school don't spit on their way home (no, that doesn't mean that all state school children spit on their way home!!!). With a bit of luck, my DD will have stopped spitting by the time she goes to DS's school, or they might not accept her...

Definitely counts as shiny in my book!

scrub 'em with a spondex

Hooray, now I feel accepted!

Private school bashing - am I bovvered?

OTOH, he does get invited to the parties of kids called Arran and Braydon, which is not very shiny. And has recently informed me that he along with said kids eschews all the wholesomely shiny activities on offer at the after-school club (incl fencing, doncha know) in favour of racing round the playground playing a game called...

120 ways to commit suicide.

Aaargh.

It seems odd that someone would feel it's Ok to make a personal attack on you about private schools. I know many people don't belive they are a good thing,but isn't this usually as a matter of principle because they are a devisive system? I don't send my kids to private school because I believe that they will do well in our local state school, together with love and support from DP and myself. As a teacher myself (state, but have had some past experience of private) I also believe the state system ultimately sets young people up better for being equipped for life. Education is about a great deal more than expensive uniforms, nice buildings and general shinyness!

at one of our local private schools i am certain they brush the childrens hair to keep them shiny by hometime

is there really a game called 120 ways to commit suicide?

How do you win it?

If only my boys were shiny. How very far from reality...

Your boys you teach? Or the children of your flesh?

My son's runny nose is very shiny at the moment.

There you go a shiny state school child.

I teach in a girls' school, so the boys are my own sons. They look like they have been dragged through a hedge backwards. DS1's clothes are literally falling apart, despite being only a year old.

At the school I teach, the girls are pretty smart. We still hassle them for rolling up their skirts though. There are also many interpretations of 'tied-back hair'.

I send my child to a state school. And I drive a 4x4.

Hate me at will.

See - I went to state school but am still arrogant and superior .

Not everyone chooses a private school because they think the local state school is rubbish. My state school was excellent, but they didn't push me to work to my potential and also the large class sizes intimidated me (i was quite a shy child) It was perfectly suitable to my best friend who was confident and outgoing and would put her hand up and answer questions, but they would just leave me to get on with it and because I wasn't a child who made a fuss was sort of left to my own devices. At my private school I got an education much more catered to my own individual needs than to that of a generic class of 30 other children.

I can't believe that nobody thinks that nellyraggbag sounds most awfully like Lilywhatsit, the journalist who was so horrified by her daughter being tested on her spellings during a playdate

If they aren't the same people, I'm willing to place a small wager on them being in the same profession. Now where do we think we are going to see this article with its catchy headline "Shiny Private School? - Well, why not?". Let's think. Telegraph? No, too obvious. Daily Mail? Ahhhhhh

Also there was a lot less pressure - no exams except for the entrance exam. Facilities and oppurtunities were also much better - swimming pool, lacrosse, girls football, netball, textiles, cookery, hockey, learning french - all this available for primary school children was a lot more than I got at my state school. And they learn french and go swimming from nursery (obviously in a very fun and gradual way but they learn it none the less)

Think thats a bit unfair minty seeing as nelly has been on MN for around 1 year.

yes she has
and she has posted approx 20 times
your point?

the dead giveaway is her marvellous (and completely accurate) use of semicolons
no doubt cut and pasted from the pitch document she did for the daily mail

lolol

Also the use of "Why, oh why" (VERRRY daily mail) complete with comma after the first why

double

come on PollyFilla, identify yourself luvvie

Why are people rude about children in private education? For exactly the reason that anyone one meets feels entitled to be rude about one home educating one's children: because it is taken as an implicit criticism of their own choice to trust the state system (or the school system in the HE case).

It's all in the mind of the criticiser. Because those who send their children to independent schools weren't actually thinking about how it would reflect on state schools and on those who use them when they made their decision - they were thinking about the needs of their own children within the budget at their disposal.