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

233 replies

MummyPenguin · 16/07/2007 16:37

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.

OP posts:
nogoes · 18/07/2007 10:24

No I wouldn't object because I am not a snob.

Peachy · 18/07/2007 11:27

'Avoiding dodgy people is IMO pretty well one of the best lessons in life I could teach them. I WANT my children to avoid liars. I WANT my children to avoid cheats. I WANT my children to avoid bullshit artists. And yes, I WANT my children to avoid racists too. '

are you reallys aying that a 5 year old is a liar, cheat, racist etc?

I have very little contact with most kids at the school, I rpesume Ms Goody will ahve less- bearing in mind she works and I don't. So therefore I can only assume it is the poor child you have issues with?

singingmum · 18/07/2007 11:38

I am not a fan of Jade Goody.In fact I think it is a shame this woman is so much in the public eye as she is not a good role model.However surely her son deserves the best she can give him.By trying to put him in this school she is saying that she wants more for her child than she got herself.
Isn't that what all parents want? Their dc's to have the best education and life possible,to be a better person than they are.
these parents objecting to her son have stated that her son attending the school would lower the tone of pupil and associated parents.
They should grow up,get over themselves and remove their noses from the air and realise that they are childish and pathetic

bundle · 18/07/2007 11:39

we have a few well-known faces at our school (though not quite in same field as Jade) and tbh they just muck in and get on with well life.

ratclare · 18/07/2007 11:46

I think Jade is a product of her upbringing ,i think she is trying to give her son the best start in life she can. Isnt that what all the other parents at the school are doing ,buying the best they can ? At the end of the day her reasons for sending him there are the same as theirs

madamez · 18/07/2007 14:26

Quattro, I love the way you equate having opinions you disagree with, with giving one's children - and the children of strangers - drugs and forcing them to watch pornography. Are you really so frightened of your DCs being exposed to opinions? You're really going to have so much fun when they reach their teens.

donnie · 18/07/2007 14:28

I wouldn't want mi children to watch porn, but I expect it's compulsory in your house madamez.

madamez · 18/07/2007 14:46

Donnie, well of course. And I'm teaching DS how to roll a spliff as soon as his fingers are big enough.

islandofsodor · 18/07/2007 16:15

I hope your children are not at my dd's school Quatro, if so I will have to start a petition.

wheresthehamster · 18/07/2007 16:46

I think she'd be a right laugh. I can imagine her being up for any fund raising event and a riot at our Comic Relief day.

UnquietDad · 18/07/2007 16:58

Oh yeah!! Throw The Sponge at the Goody!!

fedupwasherwoman · 18/07/2007 17:08

Am I reading the OP correctly, there's a posh school in ESSEX ?

I couldn't give a toss, at least you'd have an idea what the parents were like from their constant exposure in tabloid-land.

Better the devil you know as they say....

Quattrocento · 18/07/2007 20:58

Peachy - you are right of course I am not saying that a child is any of these things. But then you knew that, didn't you?

The positive thing I have taken from this thread is to question whether or not I am being overprotective. I freely admit that I vet my children's friends. What I ACTUALLY mean by that of course is that I vet my children's friends' parents. I do let them go to houses that have not been positively vetted, but only as part of the vetting process IYSWIM.

As an example, there is a little girl who lives around the corner that I do allow my DCs to play with. She is nice and sensible. But I don't let them go to her house because she has a 13 year old brother who smokes, shags random underage girls at home and takes drugs. I know this to be true because the parents told me quite openly! I don't want my 7 and 9 year old seeing all that so I don't let them go round there.

Although I am always going to conclude that that is a reasonable approach, I wonder whether there are other areas where I need to lighten up?

Peachy · 18/07/2007 21:50

That's fair enough of course with drugs etc, I think opinions though are a bit different, for a start it is easier to discuss and challenge things they ahve heard at a young age when they will still do that with you, than when they beocme a bit older and peers mean so much mroe than parents, iyswim? A child at ds1's school was openly racist about another child- instead of not letting them play, Mum arranged for them to spend time at each others house- now they're so matey they're engaged (at 7 but all ds's class ahev apired up LOL)

MotherFunk · 19/07/2007 04:56

Message withdrawn

DominiConnor · 04/08/2007 14:12

OK, I've been drawn back (temporarily cos I'm in the garden...)
As it happens DS2 is going to Oaklands, and the OPs assumptions are basically wrong.
(I suspect DS2 will be in the same class.)

Jade is not going to Oalkands, her kid is, so why should I care ? She's a Chav, big deal.
I'm an oik from a council estate, both DW and I went to state schools, and contrary to what you read in the Sun we drive a 2 wheel drive Renault, chosen because it came top of every safety list.

Given her job, I would suspect that I'm more likely to see her on the TV than at the school gate, she'll have a flunky drop him off.

I come from a council estate, and have no issue with others who made it out.
I can't see how I can honestly criticise someone for making the same choices I have. She's doing the best for her kid, which sadly is not always the case with some parents I see.

Of course we've seen snobbery on this thread from those who wonder how Essex can have a "posh" school. It has relatively few, but area has some very good academic schools.

Oaklands was our first choice for DS, and to be honest it was not the poshest option.
From my other posts you will notice we're quite hardcore about educational values, and Oaklands came top. That's not trivial and nothing to do with poshness.

Ms Goode has got shot at for not going to the "local" school. That reflect the West London bias of most media types than reliaty.
Loughton is the edge of the London conurbation, and for quite some distance, it's mostly trees, farmland, etc. Not many schools. Ongar is a small place, so small that it's train station was shut down.

By the standards of private schools, it ain't that expensive. Journalists typically earn quite pitiful salaries. Many people whose words you read in the national press would be better off stacking shelves. Never take their views on any aspect of money seriously.

Jade makes her living in a way I would never consider, but that's because I have better options, and from what I know of her, she doesn't.

EricGallagher · 04/08/2007 14:32

Thought they banned you DC. Nice to see you back

DominiConnor · 04/08/2007 14:33

I flounced out. Not the same thing
But the day is probably coming...

EricGallagher · 04/08/2007 14:37

You flounced?

How girly.

DrNortherner · 04/08/2007 15:06

I am shocked at some of the snobbery on this thread. How dare some parents object to a certain perosn sending their kids there. How dare they deem her not good enough.

The best lesson you can give your kids is to not judge a book by it's cover, to not judge someone by their parents or where they grew up but to treat everyone as equals to understamd that good people and bad people come from all walks of life.

zookeeper · 04/08/2007 15:17

I wouldn't object in the slightest.

Nor would I object if the child of a BNP activist came to my dcs' school.

I want my dcs to come across as a range as people as posible lest they end up as judgmental as some people on this thread.

zookeeper · 04/08/2007 15:21

as broad a range

Gobbledigook · 04/08/2007 15:36

I haven't read the whole thread but, well, who would I be to object to someone going to my ds's school?

What's so wrong with JG anyway - I mean, she's not the sharpest tool in the box but so what?

Bizarre.

Will read thread now.

lilolilmanchester · 04/08/2007 15:39

I quite admire Jade Goody in some ways, if you think of the tough things she went through as a child, Dad in jail,Mum disabled, I think she did well not to turn to drugs/prostitution etc. I wouldn't want my DCs at schools with such snobs (tho there are several of those at our school sure enough)

DominiConnor · 04/08/2007 16:09

Snobbery, sadly seems to have many forms.
Some people are showing it against this child.

An equal number, led by journalists and followed by some in this thread are being leftie snobs about private school being for dim kids.