Would you object to Jade Goody being a parent at your school?

[MummyPenguin]

I just read this in The Sun, and it really annoyed me! Parents at posh Oaklands school in Loughton, Essex have strongly objected to Jade being offered a place in Reception for her Son Bobby, 4.

I know Jade isn't everyone's favourite person, but how dare they? Apparently, one Mum has objected so strongly that she's threatened to take her child out. Bye then. That would be my reaction, and I asssume Jade would have a similar one. Other parents are planning a petition. WTF? Bobby is only 4, and shouldn't be subjected to such hostility. What sort of example are they setting their children? No doubt the children will be encouraged not to associate with Bobby, and the poor little chap might be outcasted.

I really hate this sort of snobbery. In every school, even so called 'posh' ones, there's children and parents that you don't mix with for reasons best known to yourself. This just struck me as ridiculous though. If Jade can afford the fees, (which she obviously can) good luck to her.

I don't know if there's already a thread about this btw.

Cyclon - I am an objector too. I don't mind being a minority in a debate, that's fine. But my angle is not the one about her publicity seeking antics.

I think as a parent, if my DCs school accepted Jade Goody into the fold, I would feel disappointed and maybe a bit betrayed that the school did not have the sort of ethos that I thought it had.

"i am not naive enough to beleive that her presence around there school would not seriously skew their perceptions"

I must be very naive then

One could argue that if we knew the half of what goes on behind closed doors we wouldn't wish to associate with many parents at our children's schools.
How many of these people would put their own lives under the microscope to be judged?
(I.Q, affairs, racism, sexism, abuse, alcoholism......)
I know JG has put her life on view but even so.
Not sure where I'm going with this but just wanted to get down my thoughts thus far!
May be back later!!

You pay for an ethos that is dependent on the parents, quattro?

I don't think that is the case.

I would keep an ear out for DS being called 'BoyBlu Poppadum' and do my best to avoid sharing the school run with her, but certainly not make a prat of myself by demanding she be kept out.

hhhmmm, the only thing would concern me would be that the paps etc eould be hanging around the school.

my kids go to a state school.
i went to a private school, and i know full well that paying for something doesnt mean you have control over what happens there.

my response is not about state versus private. it's abuot a spotlight seeking 'celebrity' constantly being in my childrens's faces.

Well the ethos is one of genuine respect for others and multiculturalism. So I would be kind of surprised if they accepted Jade Goody into the fold. And disappointed and all the rest. I would wonder if the school really stood for what it said it stood for. Doesn't it all depend on the parents? Famous parents do pay a penalty here and I am sure that StressTeddy is right that some of the parents only pay lipservice.

No I wouldn't, because that would be childish and narrowminded. Just because she has been unpleasant in the past does not mean I should behave as though incapable of grace.

Do all spotlight seeking celebrities not send their kids to private school?

she's a coossal arsehole but i really, really don't think she's racist. she expressed herself using racist terminology but ithink she now has an understanding of how wrong that was.
however, as i say it's the thought of paps in big cars following her around that would worry me.

It's weird, my son has just completed a year at a fairly rough state primary school.

We regularly get letters home asking parents to refrain from smoking, swearing, allowing their dog to defecate in schools grounds. The last letter of this type was asking parents to remember to wear a school shirt on school grounds.

However inspite of coming to the end of reception in such a school my son has not picked up any swear words and has made excellent progress in all areas of the foundation stage. Parents have the greatest influence how their children turn out.

I think its terrible that the parents are protesting against a four year old. Why are these parents worrying about what kind of role model Jade is when clearly they are a sh@tty role models.

As far as the OK mag goes I expect the school sees it as free advertising.

yeah but Budababe you live in Hungary. Porn stars are the norm there, surely?

It wouldn't bother me - a child is a child. How likely are the media to stake out the school once the child's settled in? We're talking about a celebrity slipping down the lists when all is said and done. Mind I'd swop schools if I were Jade as someone else has already said if this is how some parents will react.

im sure there'll be some mummies who want to befriend her purely because shes a sleb. Of course in reality, the nannies will do the mixing and not the parents

the child is not what worries me.
jade has shown how spotlight hungry she is. i can just imagine her making up stories abutthe school, or her child, and the media then deciding to
a hang around outside the school
b call up parents to get their views
c said parents then spiralling this whole thing out into a huge big production.

obviously any human being is an enigma and what they do or dont do is something others can only speculate about. just as we are doing here. my opinion is that should jade decide to turn up at my dc state school, i would not be at all happy.

The press attention would be a concern.
As would the naming of the new 'Jade Goody' sports hall.

I would not object. If she is a loving parent, then that would be good enough for me.

Message withdrawn

she could do with some stewed rhubarb thats for sure

I just don't understand how Quattro can base the way she woul treat a 5 year old on who the parent of that 5 year old is. All 5 year olds are innocent. And to eliminate people from any environment becuase of views you don't like is bigotry in itself and actually really scary imo.

I hate racism, really I do. I also hate bigotry in general- especially when its used by poeple to decide that its OK to alienate a 5 year old because of something someone doesn't like about the Mother. I find thatreally distatseful.

Where is the poor ald suposed to go then? BNP Central? yeah, that'll give a rounded education with a more general outlook then . Or is it a case of those we don't like go state? which is pretty horrendous

Nope I wouldn't object.
Agree with Peachy
In any case it's not jade sitting in the classroom, it's her children. Instead of considering that the 'ethos of the school' is under threat, why not consider that the children could grow up to have genuine respect for others etc and be less unaware than Jade, isn't that a good thing?
I hope he goes, and gets on very well with his classmates, not singled out, and the parents don't teach their own form of exclusion based on difference.
As the head i would deal with the paparrazi aspect first, and but a ban on it or something - couldn't be dealing with that.

(and disclaimer: I don't think state can't teach better values to her children. But for this story I don't get the objection)

Wouldn't want my dc going round for a playdate though.

Tootyfrooty I can understand that

The whole motivator behind me (initially anyway) going into RE teaching was the racism that existed on the estates where I was raised (not qualified yet, 2 years down 2 to go). I believe its far more productive to address these issues within an informed debate and curriculum classromm, combined with real life contacts and integration. Choosing the kids in any group based on ethics won't aid this, and indeed its probably counterproductive to ong term anti racialism, as segregation now will cause polarised groupinds later, iyswim(and the effects of per pressure alone, of corse are huge)

I ahve a feeling that amde no sense - but I know what I mean!

No, it does make sense, Peachy. And is very well put.
You wouldn't have a problem with having Jade's son in your class, then?