Play date with mum who agrees with education tax

[BonnuitMy]

Please let me know if I’m overreacting. I recently overheard a new mum at school talking about a local private school closing down due to the education tax and how this is somehow a good thing. She’s now invited my DD for a play date, would you accept?

I was waiting to see if someone posted this and I'm surprised it took so long. There is no 'education tax' private schools i.e. businesses are just being made to pay the same VAT as everyone else.

Businesses pay VAT

This is incorrect. Customers pay the output VAT; the businesses merely account for it through their VAT returns. VAT is only payable on certain goods and services. Plenty of supplies are not subject to VAT; caviar, private medical care, luxury care homes, private nurseries and air fares being some examples. The only VAT which a business pays itself is input VAT, which VAT registered businesses can reclaim.

It's not malice towards kids to disagree with private education.

As I said above, there are a lot worse things than having to change schools at some point in your education. Those children will survive. And probably thrive.

I was listening to Radio 4 on Thursday and the idea that Uni Students should argue a point they disagree with as part of their courses to encourage critical thinking was being raised.
Of course some views (racism, homophobia etc) are vile and I will not mix with people who hold them its actually not healthy just to associate with people who hold exactly the same views as you on everything.
Having said that as a Parent of Private school kids if someone said that they were glad X school was closing and expressed that they hoped the kids had a shit time integrating anywhere else or similar then I wouldn't want to be around them but it doesn't sound like thats the case here.

I’m not sure I’ve got my point across very well on this. She wasn’t expressing a view on a tariff on bananas, she was openly supporting the education tax and laughing about our local prep closing.

"Education tax" - is this a joke? You don't sound particularly well educated yourself tbh

You've probably done her a favour then. She probably wouldn't want to be friends with you.

There is no such thing as education tax.

Excuse me. The government have introduced a 20% tax on education services for children aged between 5 and 18. It came in on January 1st. I think a tiny bit of research might help before posting rude comments.

The misunderstanding about VAT on these threads is laughable.

businesses are just being made to pay the same VAT as everyone else.

Businesses aren’t paying the output VAT; the customers are. Plenty of goods and services are not subject to VAT so “everyone else” doesn’t pay it. Input VAT is different. A VAT registered business can reclaim input VAT they have paid. Private schools have paid input VAT long before the recent change in legislation, in the same way that others do, but until now have been unable to reclaim it

I'm sure she will not be discussing her views with your daughter. You're coming across as very narrow minded.

Many people don't agree with private education. Does make them assholes. People have different opinions.

How old is your DD? If you remain so intolerant how will she be able to have different views from you growing up or be able to have discussions or disagreements? You run the risk of her just keeping quiet and not being herself if she thinks you'll dissaprove. Or not being open about who her friends are.

What did you think should happen with the private school, out of interest? It stays open but takes no more kids and doesn't close until the current year 7s have finished? You can see that's not feasible. It's a business like any other, parents who sent their kids bought into that. Unfortunately it hasn't paid off.

Its not an education Tax and I say this as someone who pays it.
I probably wouldn't want to spend time with someone rejoicing in a business closing that will affect children as well as the employees though. Its just mean spirited and speaks to character
I would allow my DD to play with hers just as long as I didn't have to be there too though

There’s so much ignorance around this. The comments are disappointing.

It’s a tax on education services provided by certain organisations.

That happens all the time for different reasons. I went to three different primary schools just because my Dad had to move for his job. Children change schools due to house moves all the time.

I agree with you OP, if I were you I'd send a questionnaire out to all families of your DD's potential friends and make sure that they have exactly the same narrow world view as yours before you agree on any playdate.

I’m not sure exactly what it is you seem to think other people will find so heinous about this. I mean, do you think the children get sold into slavery when the prep closes its doors? Are going to be begging in the streets in their ragged uniforms? They’ll just go to another school, OP. Children do this all the time.

It's a tax they previously didn't have to pay and now do. Rightly so.

Also, why do your views count more than her dad's? If he can't see the harm and she wants to go?

She’s clearly an idiot however some idiot parents have lovely children so I’d base my acceptance or not on what the child is like rather than the parent.

Those who believe in the policy most strongly, and vocally, are often the ones who have absolutely no idea about how the legislation actually works. I’m waiting for a comment about charitable status being removed and linking it with VAT……….

Wow, is the OP for real? Talk about wanting to live in a bubble. Good luck policing this when your children are teenagers OP, you won't have a clue what their friends' parents are called, let alone their views on anything.

A tax that ends up costing the Treasury and hence all taxpayers more money is nuts.

The only people in support of it are those who are economically illiterate or woefully misinformed.

FWIW I don’t use private schools.