Labour members call to 'redistribute' private schools' assets

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49786645

I personally find this absolutely hilarious:

"How can it be right in 21st Century Britain to still have a feudal education system where a privileged few receive tax-subsidised education on the back of ordinary working people?”

This was a quote from John Wiseman, an ex teacher and member of the Unite Union.

I think he fails to realise that it is actually state school pupils receiving a far more heavily “tax-subsidised education” (it’s free for God’s sake) on the back of private school parents who are paying immense sums of money in tax in order to fund state schools, without even actually using them.

I would have loved to vote for Labour if it helped to solve the Brexit issue with a new referendum or something, but this is the kind of nonsense that puts me off.

Reply 1

Joinedup

20

Original post by tazarooni89

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49786645

I personally find this absolutely hilarious:

"How can it be right in 21st Century Britain to still have a feudal education system where a privileged few receive tax-subsidised education on the back of ordinary working people?”

This was a quote from John Wiseman, an ex teacher and member of the Unite Union.

I think he fails to realise that it is actually state school pupils receiving a far more heavily “tax-subsidised education” (it’s free for God’s sake) on the back of private school parents who are paying immense sums of money in tax in order to fund state schools, without even actually using them.

I would have loved to vote for Labour if it helped to solve the Brexit issue with a new referendum or something, but this is the kind of nonsense that puts me off.

TBH it's not entirely clear to me why middle class opportunity hoarding and money laundering should be allowed charitable status... Not really in favour of nationalising independent schools either though.

Reply 2

nulli tertius

21

Original post by tazarooni89

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49786645

I personally find this absolutely hilarious:

"How can it be right in 21st Century Britain to still have a feudal education system where a privileged few receive tax-subsidised education on the back of ordinary working people?”

This was a quote from John Wiseman, an ex teacher and member of the Unite Union.

I think he fails to realise that it is actually state school pupils receiving a far more heavily “tax-subsidised education” (it’s free for God’s sake) on the back of private school parents who are paying immense sums of money in tax in order to fund state schools, without even actually using them.

I would have loved to vote for Labour if it helped to solve the Brexit issue with a new referendum or something, but this is the kind of nonsense that puts me off.

Leaving aside the merits (or lack of them), one can see that this is just an incoherent rage because Labour is proposing four mutually inconsistent changes:-

1 To take away the financial advantages of private schools by redistributing their endowments

2 By removing the tax advantages of private schools by abolishing charitable status

3 By removing many of the educational advantages of private schools by limiting their access to university places; and

4 By abolishing private schools by nationalising them

Labour is like the Reformation cleric that simultaneously wants to burn down all the Catholic Churches and make them Protestant.

Reply 3

z-hog

13

It wouldn't be a good idea to put this type of people in charge of anything.

Reply 4

username1208026

18

They should just rename themselves to The Communist Party of Great Britain, and be done with it... :tongue:

A

Reply 5

DSilva

12

Original post by tazarooni89

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49786645

I personally find this absolutely hilarious:

"How can it be right in 21st Century Britain to still have a feudal education system where a privileged few receive tax-subsidised education on the back of ordinary working people?”

This was a quote from John Wiseman, an ex teacher and member of the Unite Union.

I think he fails to realise that it is actually state school pupils receiving a far more heavily “tax-subsidised education” (it’s free for God’s sake) on the back of private school parents who are paying immense sums of money in tax in order to fund state schools, without even actually using them.

I would have loved to vote for Labour if it helped to solve the Brexit issue with a new referendum or something, but this is the kind of nonsense that puts me off.

How is that worse than the current policy of acadmeisation which makes state schools sell their assets?

Reply 6

nulli tertius

21

Original post by DSilva

How is that worse than the current policy of acadmeisation which makes state schools sell their assets?

Academisation doesn’t make state schools sell their assets. It transfers the assets of state schools from the local authority to a charitable body set up to run the school.

The only real change with academisation is stopping teaching unions interfering in the management of schools by the power they hold in town halls with Labour councillors and local government officers. That is why the only people who really object to academisation are politicised teachers.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 7

DSilva

12

Original post by nulli tertius

Academisation doesn’t make state schools sell their assets. It transfers the assets of state schools from the local authority to a charitable body set up to run the school.

The only real change with academisation is stopping teaching unions interfering in the management of schools by the power they hold in town halls with Labour councillors and local government officers. That is why the only people who really object to academisation are politicised teachers.

They're not charities, really. It transfers schools from local authority control to unaccountable private chains, who then have full control with next to no oversight. The academy chains can then proceed to sell off the school's assets, cut salaries for ordinary teachers and bring in their own people and pay them a fortune.

A large number of them have collapsed and they simply do not work.

I want democratic accountability and scrutiny of our schools. You seem to want unaccountable businessmen who care little for educational standards and mainly about making money to run them.

The fact that the overwhelming majority of teachers object to academisation, is quite telling. It's all about privatizing schools for the sake of it.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 8

nulli tertius

21

Original post by DSilva

They're not charities, really. It transfers schools from local authority control to unaccountable private chains, who then have full control with next to no oversight. The academy chains can then proceed to sell off the school's assets, cut salaries for ordinary teachers and bring in their own people and pay them a fortune.

A large number of them have collapsed and they simply do not work.

I want democratic accountability and scrutiny of our schools. You seem to want unaccountable businessmen who care little for educational standards and mainly about making money to run them.

I do want accountability and it has been appallingly lacking (see my other thread about Gove) but there is no democratic accountability in a workforce protecting its own through manipulation of town hall politics.

Reply 9

Dadadavavaakxx

16

Original post by tazarooni89

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49786645

I personally find this absolutely hilarious:

"How can it be right in 21st Century Britain to still have a feudal education system where a privileged few receive tax-subsidised education on the back of ordinary working people?”

This was a quote from John Wiseman, an ex teacher and member of the Unite Union.

I think he fails to realise that it is actually state school pupils receiving a far more heavily “tax-subsidised education” (it’s free for God’s sake) on the back of private school parents who are paying immense sums of money in tax in order to fund state schools, without even actually using them.

I would have loved to vote for Labour if it helped to solve the Brexit issue with a new referendum or something, but this is the kind of nonsense that puts me off.

What makes the least sense is that most politicians have kids who attend independent schools...

Reply 10

Napp

22

Original post by Mayuxue

What makes the least sense is that most politicians have kids who attend independent schools...

And the fact they themselves did :lol:

Reply 11

DSilva

12

Original post by nulli tertius

I do want accountability and it has been appallingly lacking (see my other thread about Gove) but there is no democratic accountability in a workforce protecting its own through manipulation of town hall politics.

Local authorities are democratically accountable. Private chains are not. They have no scrutiny and no accountability. There is no evidence they improve standards.