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Are Private Schools Unfair?
Should the well off be allowed to buy themselves a better education and with it economic and social advantages? Or is a 2 - tier education system acting against the basic principle of equality? Discuss ..........
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Reply 1
It's entirely fair. What kind of crappy, commie system do you advocate?
What next, a topic asking if the wealthy should be able to buy themselves nicer houses and cars because it 'goes against equality'?
People can purchase whatever they want with their money.
Quite aside from the fact that it would be almost impossible to prevent it, because the places they pay for are private and it would be the most enormous attack on the free-market if any government decided to stop people being able to use certain enterprises.
What next, a topic asking if the wealthy should be able to buy themselves nicer houses and cars because it 'goes against equality'?
People can purchase whatever they want with their money.
Quite aside from the fact that it would be almost impossible to prevent it, because the places they pay for are private and it would be the most enormous attack on the free-market if any government decided to stop people being able to use certain enterprises.
Reply 2
What is unfair is that government incompetence and class bigotry often prevents those from disadvantaged backgrounds recieving the education they require. This is not the fault of the private schools nor is it the fault of the children who attend them or the parents who pay for them. The only guilty party as regards the inequality of education is the government and the two parties who have been in power over the last half century or so (with especial emphasis on the rabidly class obsessed Labour party) their incompetence with regards to all levels of education (but especially the schools) has done a huge amount of harm.
Reply 3
Furthermore, wealthy people already pay more taxes and so when they don't use the state system or any public service (like say the NHS) and thus save the government money and keep crowding down, other people should be grateful! My family is fairly well-off and my dad pays a lot of tax. Both me and both my brothers attend/ed private schools. So, my dad put more money in to the system than most people and got less out. And that's unfair on others? Don't be ridiculous.
What about private health insurance? That's purchased more by the well-off and it means that the NHS is less swamped than it might otherwise be. Should we stop people being allowed to use private healthcare because it 'goes against equality'? Yes, let's force more people to use the NHS, it can obviously cope because it's so under-used.
What about private health insurance? That's purchased more by the well-off and it means that the NHS is less swamped than it might otherwise be. Should we stop people being allowed to use private healthcare because it 'goes against equality'? Yes, let's force more people to use the NHS, it can obviously cope because it's so under-used.
Reply 4
Another topic on the unfairness of private schools... If we keep stating that private schools are unfair and discriminate against them because better off people go to them (the class war elements in Labour reasserting themselves) then as JonathanH correctly pointed out, the logical road to go down is the road of communism. The next step is complaining about why the middle and upper classes get bigger houses and nicer furniture. The education system isn't meant to be about 'equality'. Its meant to be about getting the best education possible for the child, something that many people, especially certain Labourites and socialists, now sadly overlook in the name of some sort of bogus equality which merely leaves pupils less educated.
Reply 5
Our newer members might like to have a look through this thread on the topic of private schools. Its the longest running thread weve had on the topic and, tbh, the deluded communist/socialist guff spouted is quite hilarious and totally rebuked.
Reply 6
13
fabbo
Should the well off be allowed to buy themselves a better education and with it economic and social advantages? Or is a 2 - tier education system acting against the basic principle of equality? Discuss ..........
why should there be equality?
the people are richer in the first instance usually. best take all their money?
lots of "rich kids" go into the state system. what about that?
some state schools perform better than most if not all private schools...so what happens in that instance?
Reply 7
REVOLUTION, COMRADES, REVOLUTION!!
TAKE BACK THE MOTHERLAND!!
And so forth.
So, what these people are saying is, "I'm not a communist, I just think the rich shouldn't be able to buy things for themselves and their family with their money, cause it isn't fair on others!"
TAKE BACK THE MOTHERLAND!!
And so forth.
So, what these people are saying is, "I'm not a communist, I just think the rich shouldn't be able to buy things for themselves and their family with their money, cause it isn't fair on others!"
Reply 8
17
JonathanH
It's entirely fair. What kind of crappy, commie system do you advocate?
What next, a topic asking if the wealthy should be able to buy themselves nicer houses and cars because it 'goes against equality'?
People can purchase whatever they want with their money.
Quite aside from the fact that it would be almost impossible to prevent it, because the places they pay for are private and it would be the most enormous attack on the free-market if any government decided to stop people being able to use certain enterprises.
What next, a topic asking if the wealthy should be able to buy themselves nicer houses and cars because it 'goes against equality'?
People can purchase whatever they want with their money.
Quite aside from the fact that it would be almost impossible to prevent it, because the places they pay for are private and it would be the most enormous attack on the free-market if any government decided to stop people being able to use certain enterprises.
^^^
Reply 9
rich people pay a lot of taxes, and by not going to state schools means they're not taking any of that money back as education. they're just increasing the amount of money spent per child at state schools. so long as they go on paying their taxes, them sending their kids to private schools benifits the state education system (in some ways at least).
Reply 10
17
I am firmly of the belief that those who have the means should be allowed to spend their money on private education for their children - if that is what they wish to do.
Having said that though, they should not be able to buy their way into the most prestigious of universites to the detriment of the less affluent but more intelligent individual.
Discuss!
Having said that though, they should not be able to buy their way into the most prestigious of universites to the detriment of the less affluent but more intelligent individual.
Discuss!
Reply 11
10
Of course it's unfair that someone will get a better education (in terms of resources, tuition, as well as help when it comes to references etc.) than other people and at the same time get coaching into how to get into the best universities..it does exist, I have seen it myself.
However unless you find a better system where all the students will get the same education and where the rights of someone to do whatever he/she wants to do with his/her money is not impeded then this is the best alternative..
However unless you find a better system where all the students will get the same education and where the rights of someone to do whatever he/she wants to do with his/her money is not impeded then this is the best alternative..
Reply 12
Alexdel
However unless you find a better system where all the students will get the same education and where the rights of someone to do whatever he/she wants to do with his/her money is not impeded then this is the best alternative..
And that's impossible, because people with money will always have the ability to club together, hire the best teachers, get the best facilities and then charge other well-off people for the privilege of sending their children to these brand new 'private schools'.
Unless the government brings in a law that every child must attend a state school (and with the education system as it is, that seems incredibly unlikely - not to mention the uproar this would cause) as well as banning tutoring etc. then there is no other way.
Reply 13
12
Call for revolution, Mother Russia is back and Stalin has been revived from the dead. Fascism and communism join forces in a Fasc-munism alliance! Butch, genetically-modified Arian enhanced steroid pumped Russian men with tight SS uniforms patrolling our country to make sure we are all equal! 
Reply 14
Are private schools unfair?
Well I went to a comprehensive state school coming from a working class background and I think that my grades show that you can beat the system no-matter what sort of school you go to. Personally, I think private schools are pretty bad value for money, but all this emotional bitching about them has taken it way too far methinks. Private schools are always going to exist, but if pupils put there minds' to it, they can succeed anywhere.
Well I went to a comprehensive state school coming from a working class background and I think that my grades show that you can beat the system no-matter what sort of school you go to. Personally, I think private schools are pretty bad value for money, but all this emotional bitching about them has taken it way too far methinks. Private schools are always going to exist, but if pupils put there minds' to it, they can succeed anywhere.
Reply 15
Firstly, this I agree with:
It is the government's responsebility to educate as everyone has a right to an excellent education.
However, I think that if people i.e. JonathonH and sayed_samed want to argue about Communism/Socialism they shouldn't produce arguments based on strawmen.
What is unfair is that government incompetence and class bigotry often prevents those from disadvantaged backgrounds recieving the education they require. This is not the fault of the private schools nor is it the fault of the children who attend them or the parents who pay for them.
It is the government's responsebility to educate as everyone has a right to an excellent education.
However, I think that if people i.e. JonathonH and sayed_samed want to argue about Communism/Socialism they shouldn't produce arguments based on strawmen.
Reply 16
17
sherunsaway
Are private schools unfair?
Well I went to a comprehensive state school coming from a working class background and I think that my grades show that you can beat the system no-matter what sort of school you go to. Personally, I think private schools are pretty bad value for money, but all this emotional bitching about them has taken it way too far methinks. Private schools are always going to exist, but if pupils put there minds' to it, they can succeed anywhere.
Well I went to a comprehensive state school coming from a working class background and I think that my grades show that you can beat the system no-matter what sort of school you go to. Personally, I think private schools are pretty bad value for money, but all this emotional bitching about them has taken it way too far methinks. Private schools are always going to exist, but if pupils put there minds' to it, they can succeed anywhere.
I agree with you and hope that your future experience live up to your ideals.
Unfortuantely statistics prove that advantage by way of private education in primary/secondary education, regardless of natural ability, is enhanced at tertiary level if one has been to a non-state school.
However, hopefully, true inherent ability will win more rewards rather than any intensive coaching might.
Reply 17
i dont believe that they are unfair, but i do have a few problems with private schools...
firstly it annoys me that people who are less well off cannot afford to have the best education on offer, as im sure few will argue that private schools get the best results
second it annoys me that private school pupils feel that they get discriminated against because they went to a fee-paying school. i feel that it is more difficult to achieve an A (or any grade for that matter) if you have been taught by lower quality teachers, with lower quality equipment, in over-crowded class rooms, with more 'disruptive' peers, and thus feel that uni's/employers are not wrong to prefer a state school student to a private one, provided they are very similar in all other areas
i do agree however that private schools do benefit state schools by taking away pupils, but still paying tax
firstly it annoys me that people who are less well off cannot afford to have the best education on offer, as im sure few will argue that private schools get the best results
second it annoys me that private school pupils feel that they get discriminated against because they went to a fee-paying school. i feel that it is more difficult to achieve an A (or any grade for that matter) if you have been taught by lower quality teachers, with lower quality equipment, in over-crowded class rooms, with more 'disruptive' peers, and thus feel that uni's/employers are not wrong to prefer a state school student to a private one, provided they are very similar in all other areas
i do agree however that private schools do benefit state schools by taking away pupils, but still paying tax
Reply 18
billyboy
i dont believe that they are unfair, but i do have a few problems with private schools...
firstly it annoys me that people who are less well off cannot afford to have the best education on offer, as im sure few will argue that private schools get the best results
second it annoys me that private school pupils feel that they get discriminated against because they went to a fee-paying school. i feel that it is more difficult to achieve an A (or any grade for that matter) if you have been taught by lower quality teachers, with lower quality equipment, in over-crowded class rooms, with more 'disruptive' peers, and thus feel that uni's/employers are not wrong to prefer a state school student to a private one, provided they are very similar in all other areas
i do agree however that private schools do benefit state schools by taking away pupils, but still paying tax
firstly it annoys me that people who are less well off cannot afford to have the best education on offer, as im sure few will argue that private schools get the best results
second it annoys me that private school pupils feel that they get discriminated against because they went to a fee-paying school. i feel that it is more difficult to achieve an A (or any grade for that matter) if you have been taught by lower quality teachers, with lower quality equipment, in over-crowded class rooms, with more 'disruptive' peers, and thus feel that uni's/employers are not wrong to prefer a state school student to a private one, provided they are very similar in all other areas
i do agree however that private schools do benefit state schools by taking away pupils, but still paying tax
Reply 19
Lord Waddell
Another topic on the unfairness of private schools... If we keep stating that private schools are unfair and discriminate against them because better off people go to them the logical road to go down is the road of communism.
No it's not. Some people see a fundamental difference between the education market and the sportscar market. Education has so many externalities, and even more obviously, we don't usually pay for our own educations do we? Our parents do.
I think they're perfectly fair, but I'd hope that universities will acknowledge that poor grades from rubbish schools may well be misleading, and equivalent to higher grades from better schools. I think they do acknowledge this, and it's in their interests to because universities strive to get the best applicants they can.
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