Strange school letter

Mojisola

make_me_wise wrote: »

There are some amazing parents out there, on their own or with a partner etc who depsite being on a low income, do all they can educationally and otherwise for their kids. There are also some children who come from families on low incomes who have no parental input or interest about their education.

Of course that's true but this isn't worked out on an individual basis. The studies of groups show that, overall, many children from lower-income families need extra help at school to get to the same standard as the majority of children from higher-income homes.

Being entitled to claim free school meals is a fairly crude indicator but it's the best one that's been found.

bb999

peachyprice wrote: »

I think it's fair to say that the majority of children in affluent areas will have a good supply of books at home, computers if their parents so wish and good local play facilities.

They will also have the kind of parents who are interested in their education enough to become involved with the school when fund raising events are arranged, will come to book fairs, summer fairs, christmas fairs and generally support the school.

Many children in poorer areas do not have parents who take such an interest in their schooling, who do not want to become involved in the school community and cannot afford luxuries like books and computers at home.

So why should the school not be encouraging parents who are entitled to FSD to claim in order that those children are given a good start in life regardless of their home life?

Or is it a case of 'I'm alright Jack'?

What utter rubbish!

In one sentence you dismiss the care and parenting skills of vast numbers of mums & dads just because they are poor. Shame on you!

bb999

clearingout wrote: »

Only children from middle class families are allowed to do well in school, didn't you know?! It keeps the lower classes in their place - cleaning, serving in shops, fixing our high end cars....!

Absolute rubbish. I don't see any posts on here advocating anything like this.

If you read my posts you will see that I believe ALL children should be treated equally - very Socialist I know - hardly designed to supress the poor.

bb999

Ada_Doom wrote: »

fsm are a brilliant thing, how and why anyone would begrudge giving a child whose parents have very little money a warm meal in the middle of the day is beyond me. Taxpayers money is wasted on selling Northern Rock to Branson at a half a billion loss, taxpayers money is not wasted on feeding children who may otherwise not get a proper dinner. Get some perspective, and save your ire for targets that deserve it.

I think you have misunderstood what is being said in this thread.

I can't recall a single post from anyone suggesting free school meals are a bad thing.

peachyprice

bb999 wrote: »

What utter rubbish!

In one sentence you dismiss the care and parenting skills of vast numbers of mums & dads just because they are poor. Shame on you!

No, it's not utter rubbish.

It's not an ideal world out there where all poor people are good people with not much money.

There are some rotten parents out their who choose their lifestlye over their children, often the lowest of low who would rather spend their money with the local drug dealer or in the pub. Who is going to look out for those children, if not the school?

I take it you haven't visited many inner city schools surrounded by sink estates?

peachyprice

bb999 wrote: »

If you read my posts you will see that I believe ALL children should be treated equally - very Socialist I know - hardly designed to supress the poor.

Unfortunatley out in the real world all parents are not created equal.

Mojisola

bb999 wrote: »

If you read my posts you will see that I believe ALL children should be treated equally - very Socialist I know - hardly designed to supress the poor.

I prefer "to each according to his needs". Treating people equally is rarely fair.

POPPYOSCAR

bb999 wrote: »

What utter rubbish!

In one sentence you dismiss the care and parenting skills of vast numbers of mums & dads just because they are poor. Shame on you!

Ok then.

What is the explanation of why children from the schools in the most deprived areas do not do so well as those from the more affluent areas?

poet123

bb999 wrote: »

What utter rubbish!

In one sentence you dismiss the care and parenting skills of vast numbers of mums & dads just because they are poor. Shame on you!

It is not rubbish, study after study bears it out.

Nor is it about "care" a child can be loved and cared for but not stimulated or supported academically. Often this is due to the parent being unable to do so because of a variety of issues. Lack of aspiration, inability to cope academically themselves, tunnel vision, poverty, social issues etc etc.

No one is saying that poor parents are bad parents, rather that they and their children have to cope with issues middle class kids don't, and because of that their learning is affected.

pauletruth

i would not have had a warm meal without school dinners. getting past the extra cash for child lots of children could really do with a hot healthy meal.