Alan Bennett on private education

[@northstar1950]

This man has a marvelous way with words. He is an icon and one which we should cherish.

[@arthurdayne7335]

I've read all his published diaries and essays, lot of love for this guy

[@shaungilmartin1505]

Church of St Michaels....I was at the Church of the Skyrack Pub over the road.

[@mattsmith4471]

Love all of Alan Bennetts work inc plays, diaries and books. He's delivery of this is brilliant

[@ossietee7562]

Matt Smith Don’t forget the movies.

[@johnnicholson956]

What is it about all these comments? Alan Bennett went to Oxford as he clearly states, not Cambridge. Everyone seems so keen to object to his remarks on private education that they haven’t bothered to listen to all the details.

[@Schizopantheist]

Thank you. This was moving and insightful.

[@allotmentuk1303]

I read every thing and now listen to all things Allan Bennett when available because as a young boy I met Allen Bennett in Headingly adult library to which we were both regular visiters. A subject we discussed was the books of Tolkien (which I was a fan) and those of C.S Lewes (to which Bennett had a preference) I always and still do wonder why he attended St Michaels C of E just round the corner from the library, when he lived directly opposite St Chads C of E directly opposite the house in which he resided. Neither of us new he would become such a literary giant.

[@neilpiper9889]

State schools in America are called public schools. I am more worried about boarding schools. I'd be buggered if I'd go there as Peter Cook said.

[@beritbranch2436]

I somehow, circumvented all of this, by having no formal education past 6th grade

[@victorthecat7790]

It's a shame that more people don't watch this. I guess there is something much more profound present in the newest Battlefield trailer in order for it to have garnered so many views.

[@BoadiceanTruth]

There has been a two tier system of education, and certain types of employment, in the UK since for ever! And its designed to be like that and will never change in my lifetime. X🤔

[@vivienneandersson6019]

Mr Bennett, living in Primrose Hill is not fair!

[@brucehamilton5609]

I thought Bennett interesting on this matter, but I was surprised that he didn't hazard the case of grammar schols as bastions of a privilege of sorts. Afterall, in the equity and equalities debate they are in the crosshairs for being magnets for preferential funding. As one who went to both secondary and grammar schools, I can say that the former, by comparison to the latter, was well-underfunded. For myself, I believe people should be permitted to spend their money on whatever they choose, so long as that accords with the law. How you could proscribe disbursements for educational purposes (rather, say, than for multiple holidays, or motorcars, or fancy houses) I do not know. Scrapping charitable status would hardly deter the truly rich, while making public schools even more elitist and, possibly, less generous in providing highly-subsidised places for kids from 'ordinary' families. The net increase in income to the Exchequer from abolishing charitable status would, I feel, make extra provision for education in the state sector somewhat negligible - especially when one considers that additional places would have to be found for those displaced from the private sector, whose parents were, by the way, paying through taxation for notional places in the state sector that they did not take up. I feel that a sense of personal outrage and resentment, be it from a fashionable address in London or from а squalid tenement in Kirkby, is here the motivating culprit behind the moral objection expressed.

[@davidwild2]

The comments below the line are deeply troubling.

[@stephenreeds3672]

Interesting to hear that the public school boys he encountered are now in charge of the destinies of the rest of us.... louts!

[@Mike8981]

Private education isn't fair? It's a good education to learn early on that life isn't fair!

[@Peter-ov6xh]

It's quite amusing that he believes that differences can be ironed out.

[@mrjbettison638]

I wonder,if Mr Bennett had indeed had any children,would he have educated them privately? Probably not,but I bet he would have moved into the catchment area of a good State School where house prices were significantly higher because he could afford to.Is this fair,or just another form of privelage? It equates to the same thing,although I doubt he would ever admit to being a hypocrite!

[@juleshammond5652]

I'm sure Bennett isn't left wing but he certainly seems to be in favour of amalgamating schools into a lowest common denominator soup 'starting with the 6th form'. That appears to be 'fair'. It is significant that someone who has raised himself up into the lofty heights of Cambridge and had a career benefiting from that should then criticising the privileges which he then enjoyed. And no, I didn't go to private school but I wish to God I had. Perhaps then I might not have had to do 25 years of shitty jobs before I could afford to liberate myself, an experience shared by too many other people after having received a 'fair' education.

[@ruthowen7239]

Bet he is socialist

[@bencrossley4085]

Famously so... I think! Selection at 11+ is not perfect (far from it) and there must be ways to give opportunities later on - but I am sure the country and economy benefit from the highest achievers being educated together and creating a challenging and academic environment. Dumbing down in the name of 'fairness' is driven by ideology, and not common sense. Bring back Grammar Schools, like the one Bennett went to, and wrote about with (apparent) fondness!? 'Luvvy Socialists' are as annoying as 'Celebrity Atheists'...imo.

[@ChrisChanningChannel]

Of course he's left wing!

[@ABC_DEF]

He's a north London metropolitan lefty, I am afraid, despite his background.

[@ChrisChanningChannel]

@@ABC_DEF It's interesting, isn't it. He's has great success and has made money that permits him to have two homes, including one in London which in his case is indispensabile. It would be pretentious (and ridiculous) of him to live like a church mouse, but he doesn't have an extravagant life style.

[@alphabetacanton]

Grammar schools are mostly crammed with middle class people who can afford to hire tutors and buy houses in select school districts. A lot of parents make huge sacrifices to send their children to privaet schools while some middle class play the system and get everything fore free. Why not go for them instead of private schools? I hate this kind of preaching of "fairness." Bennett is filthy rich; how much does he give away or pay in taxes? I bet he has all kinds of "tax avoidance" schemes.

[@revol148]

working class lad against elitism yet more than happy to apply to Cambridge university....

[@ruthowen7239]

Yup...socialism is for those who believe in the best for themselves & not for the rest!

[@vivienneandersson6019]

Absolutely, he clearly enjoys all the trappings his success has brought, raising him from working class, living in Primrose Hill!

[@tinabaker4662]

For a good education surely?

[@haydenbarnes5110]

Cambridge is meritocratic. He worked hard to get in. I’m from West Yorkshire, going to Oxford next year. I don’t want to be accused of double standards when I got in on the quality of my application, not the content of my wallet

[@stephenreeds3672]

So working class lads have to remain poorly educated to remain "one of the lads". Are you not aware of the desire for many years.... alas no more... of working class men and women to improve their lot by education. Often after a tough working day. There's nothing of treachery in aspiration. Maybe you want to remain where you are to maintain your cred as Socialists.

[@vivienneandersson6019]

What nonsense, if he were able to have children I doubt he would have wanted them to go to a comprehensive school in the UK!