Why do people openly criticise decisions to send your kids to a private school?

[scotmum1977]

I sent my Son to a private school (Glasgow) last year for various reasons and it's working out really well. There is the cost but we just do without expensive holidays etc. I can't think of a better gift for my children than a good education. I was so surprised at how offended people get when they ask which school he attends. They think it's ok to criticise you openly and make bitchy comments here and there. Surely how you spend your own money is your own business. Anyone else have this experience?

Eton, Harrow, Cheltenham etc account for tiny numbers of children.

Most private schools in the UK are anonymous and unimpressive. The dominance of old Etonians is about the network they come from. All societies create elites. Nepotism and favouritism are not driven out by abolishing fee paying schools.

They may have an ‘English twang’, but they still have Scottish accents. So please don’t slight these Scottish children. They are just as much part of our country than anyone else, and your reverse snobbery is horrible.

Yes, they do sound different from children that may not have gone to state schools but there are plenty of kids at good state schools that speak SSE as opposed to having strong accents.

Scottish people are acutely attuned to subtle nuance of accent across class divisions. We are a nation that has had to fight to get away from the mentality of the kailyard and “I kent yer faither”. Please don’t patronise us.

I should add that I still wouldn't be rude to you about your decision, people shouldn't do that. I do get that you would just want the best for your DC.

Blondie1993 yes people are sadly very rude about it. I get the "I wouldn't waste MY money on that" , "well live in s nice area with fantastic schools so I wouldn't need to send my son out with the area but I can see why you might" etc. Or worse comments about how girls behave in private schools which I won't repeat on here.

Sorry I see the thread's moved on a bit. Agree with you though ruffina about it being envy/railing against injustice etc.

Private education brings £600m into the system every year. I can't complain about that.

(Mine go state btw.)

DerRose- My own child has one so I am not sure what your point is??
I was explaining to the OP, that bearing in mind there is a strong anti union sentiment in many parts of Scotland, including Glasgow, why is it any surprise that private education is not flavour of the month! stop looking for offence when there isn’t any intended.

Many do have English sounding accents!! They aren’t all rocking about sounding like Kevin Bridges or Billy Connolly! get real!

Well said Derosenkavelier yes they are children and their accents shouldn't matter. It is reverse snobbery.

Flossie so everyone in Scotland sounds like Billy Connolly and Kevin Bridges and, if they don't, they sound English?

I went to a Glasgow private school and I do find I often have to justify my parents decision to others when it comes up in conversation. People assume we were wealthy (we weren't) or that i'm a snob (I'm not) The state school where I lived had a poor performance record and we couldn't move due to dad's job. Obviously had we lived in a good school catchment I'm sure I would have been sent to the local school. My mum taught in said school and wanted me to have the opportunity to learn without disruption. Did I do well and get a good career? Yes. Would I have done that at state school? Who knows? Would I pay for my DS to be privately educated? Maybe.

It's an individual family choice.

And I sound pretty normal accent wise I think!

It’s not reverse snobbery- I couldn’t care less what the children sound like! You asked why people making bitchy comments about private school- I have told you in simplistic terms explaining the political context in which you live. I didn’t randomly make it up. Whether you believe it or not I have had this conversation with a variety of people and have based my comments from actual observations. Whether you chose to take that on board and accept the truth in it is up to you.

"The great thing overall about Glasgow/Glaswegians is their ability to welcome people from all different backgrounds, as long as they are as warm and welcoming"
This is what I love about Glasgow can't say I found the same thing in Edinburgh!!

Why is there so much heat about whether some Scottish children sound English?

Ginger- I was being facetious with the Kevin bridges comments. At my daughters private school in Edinburgh- many of the children, including my own, sounded more English than Scottish. Obviously not all, but many did. As did many of their parents- particularly those that went to the top tier Scottish independents like Lorretto, Fettes and St Leonard’s. That’s not me being horrible- that’s a fact.

Exactly Ruffina. There's nothing wrong with the English accent. I couldn't care less if kids had an "English twang". It's not relevant at all.

*"Eton, Harrow, Cheltenham etc account for tiny numbers of children.

Most private schools in the UK are anonymous and unimpressive. The dominance of old Etonians is about the network they come from. All societies create elites. Nepotism and favouritism are not driven out by abolishing fee paying schools."*
^^This. A voice of sanity in amongst the uniformed generalisations and prejudices.

Ruffina- the heat is because I pointed out that it causes annoyance in some in Scotland who aren’t fans of the Union. The OP asked why there was dislike of private schools and this is another point of friction, particularly in Glasgow which voted to leave the union in the referendum.

You might not care- but others most certainly do and you are naive if you think otherwise.

I like the Glaswegian accent its very distinctive I recognise it as soon as I hear it and I'm crap on accents generally (misses point).

It is another symbol of elitism, and harps back to English oppression of the Scots. Try and look a bit deeper.

Happy- that’s exactly why some in Scotland are snobby about it- as someone mentioned above- accents immediately mark out your social class in Scotland.

Aah... I get it now... we are either Billy Connelly, Kevin Bridges, Rab C Nesbit, Jack and Victor, Elaine C Smith or... English?!!

Where do you stand on Kirsty Wark? She went to a private school, but I think she sounds pretty Scottish. She’s also quite rich. Shall we inform John Rebus to escort her back to Berwick-upon-Tweed?

Flossietoot my kids have Scottish accents not English. (Though I wouldn't care if they did) If the point you are trying to make (whilst offending many) is that people openly criticise my decision to go private because my kids have an "English twang" then it's not applicable. I'm sure you're not meaning to be so offensive but your tone and language is getting people's backs up,

Stop being so easily offended. You know perfectly well that Kevin, Billy, Rab and Elaine all have working class Glasgow accents and didn’t go to private schools. And that Kirsty doesn’t sound working class Glasgow.

OK, but I can’t say I’ve ever regarded English regional accents as elitist.

I assume by ‘English’ you mean RP English. Which is true as a division in England too - like Hyacinth Bucket.