Today's blog looks at this story in the Daily Telegraph. It is also here in the Guardian.
I don't know if my background is relevant to this blog. Some of you will read this and won't be able to make a judgement until you know what my position is.
I can't help you, I'm afraid. However be reassured to know that I have the ability to empathise with you as I have been on both sides of this debate.
What do people want to do about the successful parts of our education system? Let's have a look at some scenarios.
If you have a good education, you probably do better in life. You have the ability to earn more money than someone that hasn't been qualified to your level. You then have your own family. You want them to do well in life so you probably send them to a school at least as good as the one you attended, and so on. You have choice.
If you have a poor education you may not do so well in life. Your choices are limited due to having insufficient earnings to fund anything other than a lifestyle that is no better than the one you grew up in. You then have your own family who you send to the nearest school (due to not having enough money to fund a long commute or a house move to be near to a better school.)
There is no doubt that some of you reading this will be in agreement. I know that some will not.
Back to the redrawing of our education system. What is it that people are against when they spit out their opinions regarding Independent Schools? Is it down to choice? Some think we should have no choice and that all pupils should be sent to the nearest school. Due to the distribution of wealth in our society we would have a perfect selection process. Affluent families (people who have been successful) will probably have off-spring that will be equally successful for whatever reason. They will go to school with other successful people. Clearly the equal but opposite situation will happen for less successful families. The richer families will have the ability to move house if their choice of school is less than satisfactory.
Therefore the removal of the Independent schools will do no more than re-invigorate the housing market. That's good then. As it stands, parents have the choice to either send their child to the nearest school or not.
I do not know any parent worth their salt that doesn't want a fantastic education for their child. Some people think that we should all have equal access to education. I also want to have a Merc but the rules state I can't. My lack of money stops me from getting one just yet. However I will continue to try to be successful enough to benefit those that I work for and my local community. This thankfully also benefits me and will hopefully allow me to buy a Merc. If my daughter can have a great education, she will probably contribute to society in a way that is beneficial to her and to others. I'm not so sure that all parents see it this way.
Even though all people have access to a free education, not all families promote the need to try to get the best out of it. If Independent schools were removed tomorrow, would we still have a group of individuals that society needs to ensure future success in economic, sporting, cultural, political and academic spheres?
I don't know if my background is relevant to this blog. Some of you will read this and won't be able to make a judgement until you know what my position is.
I can't help you, I'm afraid. However be reassured to know that I have the ability to empathise with you as I have been on both sides of this debate.
What do people want to do about the successful parts of our education system? Let's have a look at some scenarios.
If you have a good education, you probably do better in life. You have the ability to earn more money than someone that hasn't been qualified to your level. You then have your own family. You want them to do well in life so you probably send them to a school at least as good as the one you attended, and so on. You have choice.
If you have a poor education you may not do so well in life. Your choices are limited due to having insufficient earnings to fund anything other than a lifestyle that is no better than the one you grew up in. You then have your own family who you send to the nearest school (due to not having enough money to fund a long commute or a house move to be near to a better school.)
There is no doubt that some of you reading this will be in agreement. I know that some will not.
Back to the redrawing of our education system. What is it that people are against when they spit out their opinions regarding Independent Schools? Is it down to choice? Some think we should have no choice and that all pupils should be sent to the nearest school. Due to the distribution of wealth in our society we would have a perfect selection process. Affluent families (people who have been successful) will probably have off-spring that will be equally successful for whatever reason. They will go to school with other successful people. Clearly the equal but opposite situation will happen for less successful families. The richer families will have the ability to move house if their choice of school is less than satisfactory.
Therefore the removal of the Independent schools will do no more than re-invigorate the housing market. That's good then. As it stands, parents have the choice to either send their child to the nearest school or not.
I do not know any parent worth their salt that doesn't want a fantastic education for their child. Some people think that we should all have equal access to education. I also want to have a Merc but the rules state I can't. My lack of money stops me from getting one just yet. However I will continue to try to be successful enough to benefit those that I work for and my local community. This thankfully also benefits me and will hopefully allow me to buy a Merc. If my daughter can have a great education, she will probably contribute to society in a way that is beneficial to her and to others. I'm not so sure that all parents see it this way.
Even though all people have access to a free education, not all families promote the need to try to get the best out of it. If Independent schools were removed tomorrow, would we still have a group of individuals that society needs to ensure future success in economic, sporting, cultural, political and academic spheres?
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