Barnaby Lenon | Private Schools Are NOT A Disaster (4/8) | Oxford Union

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This House Believes Private Schools are a Public Disaster.
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[@nicholaspitt3002]

In France Private schools were abolished. This caused the rich parents to make Public schools as good as possible. You can have a discussion with a plumber about philosophy in France. Does that happen here?

[@dangibbons4668]

If you abolish private schools (as an increasing number of people call for) what pops up in their place? In wealthy areas you’ll end up with the best schools, as you can attract the best teachers and in turn make them incredibly selective. Much like it is now with the best state schools, it comes down to catchment areas (house prices are significantly higher within these) and which parents can afford to pay private tutors to prepare them for the entrance exam. If your argument is about wealth inequality, private schools are a symptom of that, but not the root cause. By the same logic we should abolish nice cars, big houses etc. on the grounds that not everyone can benefit from them. It’s also a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Our state school system is awful (considering our country’s wealth and global standing) but our private school system is amongst the best, or even in some years ranked as THE best in the world. Whilst their destruction may initially please egalitarians, I fear it won’t make education better.

[@CheechWizard22]

Lenon outclassed everyone else here. He spoke with true conviction and an authority that came from a lifetime of experience. He thoroughly dismantled the proposition in the process. A proposition worded with ill intent, designed to put the backs of those in favour of private schools, up against the wall before the debate had even began.

[@smileyface702]

But what about the fact that the existence of private schools dis-incentivizes the public schools from improving because parents who care and have various means are opting out of the public schools? Surely this doesn't push public schools to be better? I'd say it allows them to fail because "who cares about the people in that part of town as long as I don't have to go there." I didn't find his argument convincing at all. He kept pointing out the people who can go to private schools with a grant, without looking at the systemic core of the issue. Private schools represent investing in a free-market type version of education instead of a public one. You can't hope to really address the issues with public schools until everyone is forced to go to them. It fundamentally comes down to what you believe the purpose of education is and whether you think it should be "the great equalizer" as Horace Mann said. (P.S. China is not really communist).

[@aduncan520]

15 or so minutes of pure class and eloquence. As someone who has experience within both the state and private education system, it is absurd to even suggest that they are a disaster. The levels of opportunity both academically and co-curricular are exceptional in comparison, however my public school was made up of a massive proportion of scholarship and bursary students who were allowed to undertake such chance under merit - not this inaccurate proclamation of wealth or class. Instead of looking at the constant successes of the Privatised education sector and critiquing it, the root of the problem must be addressed of inadequate state school structural formula and government funding. It is in fact the donations of the geographically close public schools that have such benefit for the schools around them and the Government (whether it be Labour or Conservative) needs to re-evaluate its public spending and systematic approach. The constant narrative of dictating an unequal opportunity actually creates a larger disparity as lots of state school children take a victimised and overtly negative view on life and the world around it. Furthermore, there is an unwarranted aggression towards the private school occupants and schools with derogatory tones and catchphrases. The real problem in this Great Nation is that we are becoming so cynical of our previously "proud" and "prosperous" traditional attributes such as schooling, instead of focusing on an improvement of the public educational sector which involves roughly 93% of the population. Eradicating the most successful parts of society may supposedly create 'equality of chance', but who wants a Great Britain that instead of having some amazing schools and some less so - has a schooling system that is flawed everywhere.

[@phillipnash5591]

Why does Barnaby Lenon have to explain himself all the time? He's an expert in schools.

[@ishanbhusal0177]

coming from a country where private school owners lobby to defund and deprive public schools, this speech sounded absolutely disastrous.

[@gel6224]

oh dear, you're facilitating China.

[@Loveisgod54321]

State schools are in terrible condition so if I could afford it, I'd send my children to a private school n a heartbeat 💓

[@user-hf2dr7sh4y]

the one party system in China is as much a facade for plutocratic or technocratic oligarchy, as a representative government is in the US. the goal of his side, like many peers in agreement, is to confuse the audience with "the chicken or the egg but dont solely blame these entities, and let them go uninterrupted," meanwhile they run away not needing to win the argument. rumor is enough distraction

[@seandiko2687]

6% of of schools in the UK are private.

[@anna.t._7224]

This guys doesn’t even answer the question. Spent the first half of his answer misinterpreting the statement saying “private schools provide really good schooling so they aren’t a disaster”. Well obviously, that’s the reason this debate is even happening. “Disaster” was never referring to the quality of education in private schools. “Disaster” refers to the result of inequality created by those benefits of private school only being accessible to rich students. If anything he’s helping the other side by emphasising how private school has sooo many perks not equally available to low income students.

[@deanstorton1123]

Thing is, looking at it from a parent that has a child at both ends of the education spectrum. I have one child with enormous difficulties that struggles so much in a state school because in effect state schools try to force everyone through a square hole and if you don't fit through that hole then they hammer until you do and what comes out the other side is bruised and battered and distorted beyond recognition. My other child who is 5 years his junior but works nearly two years ahead of where he should be is facing a similar dilemma, he is being held up because he is too intelligent, and so we are beginning to see another child being destroyed by state school.

[@colincbatch]

He's basically a snooty toff shouting at and scolding a roomfull of adults as he shames them into agreement with is unapologetically elitist views or silence.

[@ruetube]

6:01

[@nicholaspitt3002]

Private schools cost a LOT of money and even just with the exams they are only taking the all rounders and not the people who may be excellent in one subject but not in others.

[@noneone.............]

I think many aspects can be used as a standard to make those school look private. If those school make many alumnus successed outside, they could be said as private school. That's all,🌐🇬🇧♥️

[@sanjaykohli7360]

What an amazing speech and orator. Public speaking at its most sincere and captivating

[@noneone.............]

We need to look the whole things of the school interest. There're many things that should be controlled privately.

[@educationforall1442]

Great speach with great idea.