No country for young men — UK generation gap widens

setmefree2

kwmlondon wrote: »

If I had my way? I'd close public schools. Make everyone use the same system. I can't see any reason for their existence.

That impinges on people's freedom to spend their hard earned dosh in whatever way they want.

What we need is state schools that are as good as the private sector. Here in London we have plenty of those. This has been coined "The London Effect". Kids in London do have equal access to high quality education.

The London Effect has happened in the last 10 years and must have contributed to house price rises. In the past people used to leave London because of schooling now they stay because of schooling.... that and loft conversions (and to a lesser extent basement conversions).

setmefree2

MARTYM8` wrote: »

Far better to abolish catchment areas and introduce lotteries to allocate school places.

Cameron and Gove are sending their kids to a state secondary school in Westminster - however you need to have a spare £1m+ to buy a property in the catchment area. Comprehensive - but not really!

People moaned about selection by ability via the 11 plus - now we have selection by property prices! Yes - we are all about social mobility - not!

There are plenty of good schools in every area in London - not just the poshest areas. In fact, some of the best performing state schools aren't in the most expensive bits of town at all. Personally, I think you should keep schools local. Kids should be able to walk to school, their friends should be local, etc.

stator

kwmlondon wrote: »

If I had my way? I'd close public schools. Make everyone use the same system. I can't see any reason for their existence.

Second, I'd drastically increase inheritance tax.

I know few will agree with me, but they are the best solutions I can see to the problem. I'd welcome someone coming up with better ideas.

*ducks head under military-grade bullet-proof parapet*

Completely agree. Scrap all segregated schools, whether they are based on money, religion or perceived ability. All schools should be the same and take a share of the good/bad pupils.

CLAPTON

stator wrote: »

Completely agree. Scrap all segregated schools, whether they are based on money, religion or perceived ability. All schools should be the same and take a share of the good/bad pupils.

I can well believe that you think the secretary of state for education knows more about your children that you do (even if every single secretary of state has been wrong since the war).

however, many of us believe we know what's best for our own children and should have the freedom to educate our children in a manner we think is best within a wide framework of law.

kwmlondon

CLAPTON wrote: »

however, many of us believe we know what's best for our own children and should have the freedom to educate our children in a manner we think is best within a wide framework of law.

I'm sorry but I'm not convinced. I don't know your kids and I have no opinion about them, but I think you're probably a bit biased and I'm not sure I'd trust your beliefs about their education over evidence-based policy.

stator

CLAPTON wrote: »

however, many of us believe we know what's best for our own children

Of course what's best for your children is to send them to a private or priveleged school, but it's not what's best for society in general.
Also I don't accept that parent's know what's best for their children, just look at vaccination rates.

antrobus

stator wrote: »

Of course what's best for your children is to send them to a private or priveleged school, but it's not what's best for society in general.
Also I don't accept that parent's know what's best for their children, just look at vaccination rates.

Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children

Article 26 (3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

System

antrobus wrote: »

Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children

More than that, they have a legal obligation to ensure that their children receive an appropriate education, either at school "or otherwise".

Parents have the primary responsibility, and many chose to delegate that obligation to an education authority. But many don't, and there is no compulsion.

westernpromise

MARTYM8` wrote: »

Far better to abolish catchment areas and introduce lotteries to allocate school places.

Schools are only good or not because of who goes there. If you randomise this, they will all simply become equally bad.

A persistent error on the left is the belief that whether a school is good or not depends on the school's buildings and the teachers.

They are, in fact, good or not according to the pupils who go there and their parents.

kwmlondon

antrobus wrote: »

Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children

Article 26 (3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

That's a bit out of context though isn't it? Surely? You can't chose to educate your children in Sanskrit or Klingon can you? What about the child's right to be educated to a certain standard? What if you don't want your kids to know about electricity? Or the opposite sex?

Most parents are fairly sane, but not all and in the words of The Simpsons "won't someone please think about the children?!?!"