why do mumsnetters think it is not ok to send your dc to a private school?

[stitch]

i am amazed by some of the ideas on here.
why do mnetters think it is so wrong?

Mumsnetters think all sorts of different things. Some agree with private schooling, some don't, just like most things.

What ideas are you amazed at? The idea that someone doesn't want to send their child to private school or ideas more generally?

I don't think we all do do we?

There are issues around inequality, that apply to health care and education. And I personally wouldn't even if I could afford to, unless the school here were a great deal worse, but I don't 'think it's wrong' for anyone else.

Everyone's different, have different thoughts and experiences. You do what's right for your child and your family. If this works for you then go for it, don't worry about what anyone else says.

Most of us couldn't care less.

And who really cares what we think anyway?

Jealousy comes into it too I suspect.

it just shocks me at how anti private schooling the majority seem to be. if yousend your kdis to a prvate school, it seems to be a dirty secret that needs to be kept quiet.
why? its a choice people make. its a valid choice particularly if they can afford it. yet, so many people post that they are proud of the fact that they send their kids tothe local state, even though they could afford private. and so many think that private iswrong because eveyrone cannot afford it. and then there were the threads started by people who seemed quite happy that parens were going to have to pull their kids out of private because of the credit crunch. particularly nasty i thought.

Plenty of MNers send their dcs to private school. Others don't. Some would like to but can't afford it, others wouldn't do it even if they won the lottery tomorrow.

Variety is the spice of life, stitch - you've been here long enough to know that there's no such thing as an MN consensus, surely?

I think many people object to the associated bragging/sneering, or the implication that those of us who choose state schools are simply not trying hard enough for our dcs and if we went without a few pairs of shoes or had planned our careers more effectively we wouldn't be letting our dcs down.

Orm, thats exactly what i mean.
why wouldnt you if youcould afford to? surely you would buy a better car, or a better house, or go on a more luxurious holiday if youcould afford it, then why not better education? (assuming that the local private options do provide better education that is)

Do people on here who send their children private try and keep it secret? I don't think they do, do they?

It's a subject that people often have very strong opinions on, and often people who are anti-something are more vocal than those who are pro-something or neutral.

I couldn't give a stuff what MNers think I should do wrt my children's education. DS1 will be going to the local private secondary school because it's the best option and we can afford it.

stitch
I think that is exactly the kind of comment that causes all the fuss.
How can you start a thread which queries why people would question/debate your choices and then question everyone elses?

I have two kids at private school but I absoloutely respect other peoples choices for their child.
Stunningly arrogant not to IMO

And there are also shit private schools....

lol snaf, id ont do rl anymore. only mn

i'm just trying to understand the very strong anti ideas. i would send all my dc to the local private schools if i could afford it, even if i could only afford it by really seriously cutting back, but that wouldnt be enough for us to be able to afford it. but if i could, i would jump at the chance. i just dont understand people who would win a million quid on the lottery, have expensive cars, but not send their kids to a better school

I don't think the majority of MNers are against private schools. I suspect that the vast majority of us don't care enough either way to bother posting about it.

Depends what you mean by 'better', doesn't it? What's better for one might not be better for another. Some people may take the view that private schools perpetuate inequality in educational standards, for example, and that that's not necessarily 'better' in the long-term.

There are a million reasons why one may or may not privately educate dcs - money is only one aspect.

Well I could tell you why I don't send my children to private school but I'm pretty sure it's my own reason not a mumsnet policy.

yes pag, not all private schools are brilliant.

i would like to understand other peoples reasoning. i'm not judging it. everyone has their own ideas. i want to know the reasoning behind it
i truly dont understand.

Well, you could substitute 'some people' for 'mumsnetters' - it would be more accurate and would trigger the same debate.

Fundamentally, I'm an old-fashioned socialist. Private education erodes the quality of state provision. I want ALL children to have the best possible chances in life, not just my own.

Hardly amazing.

okie, but i cant change the title now.
and since id ont discuss with anyone in rl, it has to bemumsnetters, because its only on mumsnet that i have come accross people who are against private education.
alien bump, please tell me your reasons.

Because I went to a private school stitch and it gave me nothing that I couldn't have got at the very good local comp. Apart from a chip on my shoulder about being seen as a snob. My parents sent me there because they never considered that a state education was acceptable. As we had very little money I didn't fit in with the children at my school either.

And also because you have to make the assumption that private is always better.

And I think there are issues around not fitting in with the local children. If mine went to a private school they'd find it much harder to fit in with the children in our area. And as a very lonely little girl who had no local friends, for that very reason amongst others, I don't want that for my children.

Now those are my reasons. I don't suppose they'd apply to everyone else. And I don't make judgement about anyone else's decisions.

but mazzy, we dont live in a communist state?
not all children are the same. some are more academic, others sporty, others musical. without variety, we woudlnt be able to cater for all of them

But isn't it obvious.
Not being sarky - seriously. Isn't it perfectly reasonable to accept that some people may have a problem with a private education system?
Some people will have strong objections to the notion of a system seperate from the mainstream as it potentially creates division and elitism. Others would not want to mix with what they see as private school 'types' and others want to supporttheir local schools as part of the local community
etc etc