Michael Walker Destroys LBC Caller's Insane Take On Private Schools

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[@b62boom1]

Are we supposed to feel sorry for these people?

[@johnnewton2949]

Yes, they need our sympathy - they also need the power we give them.

[@56postoffice]

Let me see....... .....no.

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@liammurphy2725]

You can try too, if you wish. As for me....

[@martinsmith9947]

Let the private schools do what the state schools are told to do by the government ALL THE TIME - "meet the extra costs out of your existing school budget."

[@niyena]

Do private/independent schools have budget allowances from the government?

[@yt.personal.identification]

​@@niyena Yes. Usually the largest share of the pie.

[@julielevinge266]

@@niyena No but they get tax breaks???

[@connorvickery3373]

@@yt.personal.identificationthat’s literally not true.

[@yt.personal.identification]

@@connorvickery3373 It is publicly available information.

[@LAD907]

The country is absolutely obsessed with class

[@ThatGuyThanus]

Because it’s a class based system..

[@johnnewton2949]

You're right. The working class are obsessed with destroying the elitism and the privilege of the class divide and the middle and upper classes are obsessed with keeping it.

[@LAD907]

@@ThatGuyThanus That's the first and obvious conclusion although it goes very much deeper than that when you get into it. I'm just saying in general the country is absolutely !!!! OBSESSED ! I mean REALLY OBSESSED! you know that kind of Obsessed

[@MeBurdman]

​@@LAD907 Not sure if it's "obsessed" with class, it's more like our rulers try to divide us as best they can. Whether it's with class, race, religion or whatever - the more they can keep us infighting the better. The only real classes we should be concerned about are the majority of working people as a whole vs the corrupt top 0.1% hoarding an enourmous amount of wealth.

[@MrMmcdaid9]

@@ThatGuyThanus - God save our ridiculous King!

[@michaeloshea5505]

Private schools have left us with David Cameron, Boris Johnson, rees-mogg, Liz Truss. Tax the schools it's the only way the country might get something back for all the damage inflicted.

[@ea3414]

Oxbridge has also left us with the same people. Should we close all unis? Eton does not represent the avg private school. There will be no debate until people get that through their head

[@bothi00]

​@@ea3414 eton does not represent the average private school but it does disproportionately represent the country on the international stage and to the electorate

[@stookful]

​@@ea3414 do you honestly think those people would have gotten to Oxford If they went to a state school? I don't think so.

[@ppo2424]

@@stookful Some do.

[@teddansonLA]

@@stookful Liz Truss went to a state school, so "yes" for her.

[@edeledeledel5490]

We don't need to force them to close - just remove their tax advantages. Private schools are NOT CHARITIES, but profit making enterprises. Financial arrangements should reflect that, including rateable values of property, etc.

[@nameberry220]

You need to force them to close though. People should not have an education advantage because their parents are extremely wealthy. Everyone can attend public schools. All the money wealthy people are pouring in to their private schools could be used to pay all teachers fairly.

[@soniaevans1860]

In my eyes, they are businesses. Therefore VAT, should be able n play!

[@drummingtildeath]

​@Nameberry but they wouldn't do that. They'd just go to state schools and then also have private tutors. Or homeschool and have private tutors. It would cost more so it would just take away the options for anyone who isn't rich

[@arghjayem]

@@drummingtildeath not sure you understand private schools. Firstly they make up around 7% of U.K. pupils, so of the 14 million children in the U.K. only about 615,000 are privately schooled. Then consider that of those 615,000 around 60,000 are foreign students that are literally only in the U.K. to go to school. Take away the private school they disappear also. Then consider that around 100,000 of those kids are boarders- rather than staying in their own catchment area they move to the private school and board there. So if you closed the private schools or turned them into state schools you’d actually find the pupils would balance out. And whilst yes if we removed private schools entirely a lot of the kids might end up getting private tutors on top of their state education, it’s a relative advantage no better than private school kids already have. And I imagine alot of those parents if they weren’t satisfied with that would probably just ship their kids off to Private schools overseas, but that’s no bad thing as that would mean less in the state system and the U.K. isn’t missing any VAT from them as private schools are currently marked as “charities” and don’t pay any tax. The thing about private school is it’s not just the quality of education or facilities that is advantageous, it’s the social structure surrounding it. Look at our previous PMs most of which went to a private school of some kind, alot of them even went to the same school and then onto the same Oxbridge colleges and end up in things like the Bullingdon Club. Private schools are like secret societies only they’re not a secret just an unspoken advantage.

[@normanchristie4524]

Long gone are the days of a medieval monarch founding an institution for 'ten needy boys'! Time to remove their charitable status.

[@eliasE989]

In Finland basically every kid, no matter their background, goes to public school.

[@Fatman311]

That's because they abolished the private schools.

[@Hurc7495]

@@anncothromoir1018 as i understand it public schools got thair name hundrads of years ago to distingish them from the eduction monks recieved

[@shaunhouse8469]

Didn't Finland literally make charging fees for education of any kind illegal? Side note, the British use the term public school and private school for schools you pay to go to

[@hassanbhai-ds6hf]

That's how it should be 💯 💯 💯

[@GabeDev]

And by some miraculous stroke of coincidence (as the conservatives would probably have you believe). Finland has the best education system on the entire planet, with academic results on par with South Korea and Hong Kong, but without the students having extremely high rates of depression, bullying, stress, burnout and suicide.

[@bodricthered]

When you're used to privilege equality feels like an attack.

[@lesleyrobertson5465]

Well said

[@Fatman311]

Finland abolished private schools years ago, to the chagrin of the rich families sending their children to them initially. The end result was that more money flowed into the now all-public schools, providing a better education for the entire nation. There is no sane justification for keeping private schools in the UK, we should do the same here.

[@Human_Herbivore]

Surely the biggest downside of going to a private school is that you are risking having daily contact with people like Boris Johnson or Jacob Reese Mogg. 😱

[@johnmacward]

OR maybe Boris and Jacob would've turned out a little more down to earth, compassionate ? They are the way they are because of their exclusive way of living which isolates them from everyone else.

[@Human_Herbivore]

@@johnmacward apparently Boris was even too self important for his school.

[@tonynorman6814]

Haha brilliant

[@khyron8509]

I would love to see the likes of johnson and mogg survive a state school they'd constantly lose their lunch money and be getting their heads flushed lol

[@chilledout595]

Private schools only increase inequality, the arguments of wanting the best for your child could easily be applied to increasing quality of state schools! Fix state schools, remove private schools altogether.

[@MrJonnyl123]

Proper selective state schools. We’re top performing kids get in on ability is the answer

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@drummingtildeath]

...and all the rich will just use private tutors instead. The middle class will be squeezed out as private tuition is even more expensive and the most privileged will be even more advantaged. Genius!

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

​@@drummingtildeath Then ban them, or don't let the students enter government.

[@jimmyrecard5056]

@@drummingtildeath If rich kids are forced to go to state schools there will be more incentive to put funding into state schools. They already have banned private schools in Finland and it works successfully

[@chrissilver7719]

People can't afford to have their heating on or feeding themselves, somehow paying VAT on private tuition fees will bring a tear to a glass eye.

[@mikecook1537]

If people can't feed themselves what else are they spending the money on? Just curious

[@chrisstones1249]

Michael,thanks from the 93% of us , fabulous reaction ,and thanks to Mike and his honest input.🤗🤗👍👍

[@jonathanwetherell3609]

Not so long ago it was the 95%. The steep rise in Private in areas that still have the 11 Plus is marked. They are crammers to get an advantage. Guess what, it works, you can buy an advantage for your child in the exam and get them into a Grammar School.

[@chrisstones1249]

@@jonathanwetherell3609 what a wonderful corrupt nation this is (sarcasm)🤔

[@MilkD2]

It tells you enough that the schools immediate response is "The parent's aren't going to be able to afford it". Why can't the school take the hit? Why can't they cut the Polo clubs? Maybe there's one less Ski-Trip a year? Because their #1 priority is how much money they can make. Simple as.

[@stevec6427]

There are three private schools near here. All three are based in stately homes. Why do they need to be in these incredibly valuable buildings? There's a big saving to be made by moving to a more appropriate building.

[@charliehill8068]

Wholly agreed, the charitable status really exemplifies this - they avoid tax entirely yet their profits are skyrocketing whilst contributing nothing to wider society (AS A CHARITY SHOULD)

[@rossatkinson8621]

The private school near me runs private busses for their kids that go pick them up at the door every day. Why not save a bus driver salary plus other costs to cut fees

[@frankshailes3205]

And yet they're given all those breaks as "charities"... so how are people getting rich running them?

[@therealrobertbirchall]

@@stevec6427 tbh those old buildings are uncomfortable and expensive to run.

[@julielevinge266]

Thankfully they’re at last applying V.A.T. to something that Is a luxury!! All parents want the best for their children, perhaps they love their children more? Tax breaks have been available for private schools? This is for top 3%!!

[@davidjohnfinn]

If private schools were closed, rich people would ensure that state education was the best possible and teachers were would be paid accordingly.

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@BENTWOONEZERO]

No they would just send them abroad to be educated.

[@Coastpsych_fi99]

They end up paying for private tutors, homeschooling and other options to give their child advantage

[@willsmith39]

@@BENTWOONEZERO Correct. Like Xi Jing Pings daughter and almost all of the upper echelons of the politburo who while railing against the great Satan daily, when it comes to the education of their own kids they chose elite US and UK boarding schools followed by the Ivy League/ Oxbridge. Even communist counties what their future leaders to go to Eton 🙄

[@russellmelling4098]

My heart bleeds for the poor little dears, NOT. If state schools are good enough for us they are good enough for them. At the end of the day its who Daddy knows that determines where they go in life, not how clever they are . [ just look at the cabinet]

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Not just the cabinet the banks and insurance industry

[@AndrewOliverHome]

When people can’t buy their way out of state provision, they will put their influence into making sure the state provides better schools

[@Pfth]

Jonathan Forster had me welling up there when he said that there's a very real possibility that private schools might have to join the state sector... there... are... no words... I - I... I'm so sorry, I'm feeling too emotional to carry on writing, I have to go, sorry

[@tajj7]

Two kids on non-board to his school would be £48k a year. Even if you earnt over £100k as a household (which puts you in like the top 10% I think or at least top 20%) that is about 60% of your total take home income ffs. No way are 'middle class' people sending their kids to private school.

[@drummingtildeath]

I could afford to send my son there. I earn 60k and only have one child. You can't just randomly assert that all families have two children, then use that to prove you need 100k a year. Oh, and lots of middle class people earn north of 100k.

[@Captain_Chair]

​@@drummingtildeath How do you earn £60k when you can't do basic maths?

[@drummingtildeath]

​​@@Captain_Chair two kids on non-board, 48k. One is therefore 24k. Take home pay on 60k is 43k, leaving me 19k to cover my 400 a month mortgage and pay bills. I could do it. Oh, and if we put in my partner's earnings it brings us up to about 80k a year. If she had an equivalent job to me it would DEFINITELY be affordable, and it wouldn't be an unusual middle class income. I have several friends that earn over 100k combined - one couple are both software programmers and another couple the guy is a recruitment manager and his wife is a head of department teacher. 100k is not unusual for middle class people. Wonder if you'll go quiet now? Edit - Oh look, he made a pithy mark attacking me out of jealousy and then ran away. That wasn't at all predictable!

[@wesleylang172]

​@@drummingtildeath how on earth are you paying £400 a month on a mortgage?

[@drummingtildeath]

​@Wesley Lang because I didn't buy an overly expensive house (borrowed 150k), I am on a five year mortgage with a decent rate that runs for 3 more years, and I have paid off a fair bit of it now I'm in my 40s.

[@radarlockeify]

A really good way to avoid private school fees is to send young Tristran or Clamydia to a state school.

[@ShiftyGeeza]

If the best that private education has to offer is the likes of Boris, Mogg, Sunak and Truss then I'd rather board them up for good to be honest.

[@brettlyoung]

If all the people who currently send their children to private schools HAD to send them to state schools there would be far more of a push to start funding the state system properly. The political clout would increase. The quality of school buildings would suddenly become important, the pay to encourage staff retention and recruitment would improve, even the range of subjects on offer would probably be looked at more carefully rather than ditching 'the arts' etc. Besides that the social mix might just make all students and parents realise what it is like across all of the UK, after all, public school kids will have to start mixing with the rest once they are in the work place. The big problem would be that the post code lottery would probably become much more of an issue.

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@EggBastion]

"Besides that the social mix might just make all students and parents realise what it is like across all of the UK" *_# B I G D A N G E R ! #_*

[@kaidrazarc8000]

"post code lottery would probably become much more of an issue" Probably??? nah it would be nuclear hell they may change the system so a school budget is done via the local council tax so we'd have the poor public schools and the rich public schools (basically publicly funded private schools) though best way to promote social mixing i reckon would be to encourge through the threat of VAT that they must have 10% students from lower income families but their free to be selective (so merit kids who have the most to gain from the oppotunity) & vigorous anti-bullying policy that if a rich kid is bullying the poor kids he could get expelled & forced to go to public school (parents will make sure their kid behaves then)

[@mawkernewek]

@@kaidrazarc8000 it would be neither random, nor anything to do with Royal Mail, and everything to do with house prices near 'good' schools

[@kaidrazarc8000]

@@mawkernewek yeah you're right we'd probably end up with catchment areas like America has with voting areas so it includes any rich estates in the vicinity but any middle class houses down the road from the school somehow aren't included 😂

[@barrybarry6592]

Private schools are in a commercial environment, as such sink or swim on a level playing field.

[@jonathanbailey1597]

No. They in fact operate more like a cartel, or in economic terms - oligopoly.

[@ianl1052]

"The majority of parents are really struggling to pay our fees". Here's a radical idea. *Reduce your fees,*

[@MarkPMus]

How about the government fund state education properly?! I was a school teacher for 25 years, and watched the funding shrink and shrink. It’s what drove me to a mental breakdown in the end.

[@chriswills9437]

The National Education Union, which represents more than half a million UK teachers, said it was “shocking” that of 20,000 (state) school buildings inspected between 2017 and 2019, a total of 19,442 had at least one building component that had “major defects” or was “not operating as intended”. Officials estimate that it would cost £11.4bn to carry out all the necessary repairs.

[@pennyyoung2291]

Familiar yourselves with what they did in Finland, and where that country stands in the league tables!🌷

[@billyo3915]

My uncle works for a private school and makes a case that they provide special support for autistic students. He points out that many of their students receive financial aid, and attend on scholarships. And he says that taking away their charitable status would collapse a lot of the smaller ones and only preserve the Etons and Harrows of the country. But I went to state schools. They still have special needs students. I received a scholarship and bursary to go to Uni, it depended on my exam performance. There are kids who have special needs who require schooling and don’t have the academic excellence required to send them to a private school. Private school scholarships are a lottery for talented students from lower middle class families. There are kids I know who went to private schools and didn’t get the grades I did, but they got social connections, they got amazing internships and work experience placements as totally unqualified 17 year-olds. People who send their kids to private school are paying for access, not just to quality education, but it’s also a pipeline to a successful career that gets to side-step all of the barriers that normal young people have.

[@spadhnik]

You made a valid point of SEN. One of the parent I know , decided to move child from state to private for smaller class size which provides extra support for their child. Their kid’s is getting more help. (One parent works part time, one parent full time but had lost job for few months).

[@1themikka]

@@spadhnik this is my position, she was failed in state school so ill be using beer matts in my shoes until I retire so that she can at least do ok. Labour are being quite vindictive with this so that they can look like they are sticking it to the man.

[@lizparker8431]

I am not moved to tears. 😭

[@ChrisWhittenMusic]

I live near a couple of ‘smaller’ private schools. They have a fleet of mini-buses, large well maintained sports grounds and super smart buildings, some new built. A stark contrast to most state schools

[@drummingtildeath]

breaking news: successful people have nice shit

[@ianl1052]

How nice. Now ask yourself why State schools don't have the same. Many state schools rely on parents to provide the basics for pupils in school buildings that are practically falling down around them.

[@ChrisWhittenMusic]

@@ianl1052 That was my point.

[@ianl1052]

@@ChrisWhittenMusic It was meant as an addition to your comment, not a criticism. Sorry if it came across that way.😉👍

[@williams9667]

@@ianl1052 Because the government don't want to fund them properly. But as usual it's easier to blame hard working families (like mine), who struggle to give their children the best start they can...culture wars. Not all privately educated children come from wealth, some just have hard working parents who scrimp, save and go without.

[@northred4930]

Oh the Poor Rich how do they eat their caviar how do they get through the day what what

[@inspectortanzi]

Won't someone take pity on the poor leeching parasites?

[@drummingtildeath]

Yeah so just shit on the middle class and then wonder why Labour struggle to get elected

[@jbuchan12]

I'm happy with this along as they massively improve state schools. There was an option for me to go to a private school when I was a kid for free thanks to a possible scholarship. I didn't take it, and it's probably the biggest regret of my life. The local public school I went to was truly awful. As a lefty I do agree that we should only have one level of education but the government invests basically nothing into state schools. I'm sure there are many wonderful state schools, but i do spare a thought for really deprived areas.

[@mattrichardson2451]

Because in this government they are mostly privately educated.

[@jbuchan12]

@@mattrichardson2451 yes I think so. Priority has to be to make state schools better...

[@ianl1052]

You'll soon have the chance to help make that happen. Vote Labour in the next general election, regardless of whatever views you might have on Keir Starmer.

[@jgmediting7770]

They invest nothing in state schools because the capitalist class don’t use them. Same with the nhs. The system is entirely motivated by driving down wages and conditions along with cutting public services.

[@jgmediting7770]

@@ianl1052 starmer won’t fundamentally change anything. He’s the Leftist Liberal faction of the same class.

[@christinavuyk2026]

The phrase ‘Ohdearwhatashamenevermind’ springs to mind here… 🤔🤨

[@martinsmith9947]

Labour will back out of this commitment-or water it down completely anyway. Mark my words. This is Wes Streeting we're talking about here.

[@niyena]

Lol sounds true

[@mikecook1537]

This is why I'll never vote labour. All they want to do is increase taxes F that

[@ianl1052]

And you know this how? The previous Labour government invested more in education than the previous 2 tory governments combined.

[@ianl1052]

​@@mikecook1537 You do realise that these tories are residing over the highest tax burden since the second World War, yes?!? At least Labour are targeting the taxes at those who can most afford it, unlike the tories who a few years ago froze the personal allowance, making the lowest earners pay more tax and bringing more of the lowest earners who never needed to pay income tax into the taxable income bracket. Pop quiz! Who increased VAT from 17.5% to 20% disproportionately affecting low income families? You guessed it. *The Tories.* Are you really sure you don't want to vote Labour?

[@mikecook1537]

@@ianl1052 Vat doesn't affect me directly whereas if dividends taxes are increased that will. You say the highest taxes in recent times yet can you see labour reducing taxes?? I honestly can't. Tories are known as a low tax party whereas labour aren't. The chances of paying low tax is less likely with labour - surely you agree?

[@rononel8046]

A private school near me is having to close because of money constraints. The parents are furious visioning their children wouldn't 'survive' in the local state schools & have launched a campaign to force the school to stay open. It's bonkers

[@Fatman311]

It'll just be because they want to feel they are better than the local plebs, not because of any actual concern regarding their childrens education.

[@barnabywild2215]

No, it's desperation.

[@nicklang3018]

Good news, let's hope the little twats get mercilessly bullied and learn how real life works.

[@JohnHollyoak-vx6pn]

They know they’re snotty kids would get the crap knocked out of them at a normal school!

[@ianl1052]

These parents are, no doubt, champions of unrestrained, unregulated capitalism. The answer is simple. They should dig deeper into their pockets to keep their precious private school open like any good capitalist.

[@christianX792]

As someone who used to live in Mayfield both the girls school and boys school nearby are not attended by ordinary people. The schools should be nationalised if they can’t make a profit after VAT is applied. Just look at the Aussie system if you want to see how bad it gets with independent schools.

[@bravoalley228]

can you elaborate more please about the Aussie system?

[@execututor9954]

🥴

[@keithhallam1155]

Apparently the state pays for each pupil educated in a private school, covering the cost of what the state WOULD have had to spend had the pupil been educated in a state school. I will be amazed if private schools in other countries receive such a subsidy.

[@uniteddreamer]

They taxed private healthcare. They can tax private education... It's a scandal it's taken this long.

[@1themikka]

then tax universities too

[@xBoringPerfectionx]

Private education should be outlawed like it is in some nordic countries so that the wealth flows into the state school system and everyone benefits

[@faithpearlgenied-a5517]

My heart bleeds for them.

[@xtraspecialmango]

Let them have their private schools... Just dont give them any of the tax exemptions they get at the moment.

[@rogerdines6244]

Rishi Sunak says he is not going to apologise for the sacrifices his parents made to send him to Winchester, but that is to miss the point: the education he received should have been available to him as of right, not because his parents were prepared to make financial sacrifices to ensure he got that education.

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@tassko]

It definitely helped him marry up the social hierarchy.

[@dansegelov305]

Close private schools, tax the rich, fund the education system.

[@groogleboogle]

Love the two Michaels and the way they are oblivious about the irony that they are both well educated one privately and one by the London School of Economics and both in the media, it would be funny if it wasn't true. Why is being of West African heritage a disadvantage? Also, most actors go to private schools because many acting schools are private. Nothing will change in UK society until the party system of government is abolished and normally educated people are able to become MPs. Most MPs are educated in the same classrooms in Oxbridge and so are filled with the same reasoning no matter which party flag they are under, it is therefore no wonder we have little choice when it comes to election day.

[@rtjames]

"Why is being of West African heritage a disadvantage?" If we take the example of stop and search, one group of people was 9 times more likely to be stopped than a white person. Are people of West African heritage part of that group and what does that tell you about how our institutions perceive certain groups in people in our society?

[@groogleboogle]

​@@rtjames I don't know if either of the Michaels have been stopped and searched, they did not say, they did mention it is better now than in the eighties, but then again neither of them was alive then, so how do they know?

[@rtjames]

@@groogleboogle your thoughts are either guesswork, plain odd or straw man arguments. Someone born in the 80s would be early 30s to early 40s. How did you work out neither were alive during the 80s? Taking life expectancy as an example, it was 44 for a male in 1900 and 79 now. Would you have to live in 1900 and now to be able to compare metrics such as life expectancy to make a judgement on which period was better? Bombs were being dropped on London in the war, did someone need to experience it to know that things are better now with no bombs overhead?

[@groogleboogle]

​@@rtjames Sorry, you are correct, I was biased as the two Michaels look so young to me as a person born in the 1960s, to my defense Michael Walker was born nearly 4 months into the 1980s on 4th September 1989, and therefore less than four months old at that time would not have any idea of what the 1980s was like socially. As for being a straw man, I think you may have taken that accolade as the two Michaels were talking about education and not stop and search, you changed the subject entirely to make a point not being argued. I do believe that experience is better than hearsay when it comes to history as it is the media that records history and as we know the media is usually biased and therefore not to be relied upon for the facts. I think if you observe todays news and trust it to some extent you will find there are bombs and they are nuclear, not sure if things are better now?

[@rtjames]

@@groogleboogle that's just a lot of waffle. Getting the facts is important to you but you didn't bother looking up the facts before commenting because you had a look and just ran with that. There are bombs now is a ridiculous comparison to bombs actually being dropped on your house. Black and brown people have statistically worse outcomes with schools, hospitals, the police, employment etc. Stop and search was *ONE* example of how the *INSTITUTIONS* in our society treat certain groups of people. There is a further intersection there where of the hundreds of strip searches carried out in schools, half were black boys. I appreciate you weren't there for each strip search and you'd probably want to experience each one for yourself because the media is biased, but that's where we are as a society.

[@bennybenoit754]

This sounds like cutting our nose off to spite or face. Closing elite schools will not add more money to the state schools. If I could afford to send my child to a private school, I would. Just because I can’t it doesn’t mean no one else should.

[@Natalie-my9bz]

These people acting like a 20% hike will shut them all down.

[@adamisherwood6708]

I can see the point of removing the charitable status of private school as the are just an educational business, nothing more.

[@geoffsmith8959]

Whenever this comes up, I always say the same - we want these kids in state schools! They tend to come from stable homes, they often have connections and social capital that state students would benefit from exposure to.

[@stevied667iswin]

1:50 The sound out of his arse about sums up my opinion on this 😂

[@HalimaBrewer]

I am against the very existence of private schools. They do t exist in Finland and it has one ofvthe best educational systems there is.

[@bunyip5841]

Private schools might have to join the state sector!! Oh the horror!! Will nobody think of the profits?

[@jonathanbailey1597]

"to have a proper debate about this [...]" says Andrew Castle. Really? Really? He went to Millfield and became a professional tennis player, a BBC pundit, and now a radio hack. He couldn't be a more exemplary product of the class that wants to uphold the social stratification of education, and it's advantage bestowing power on his kind. The arguments concerning the number of 'non-headlining' schools is absolute bogus.

[@mercomania]

State schools should have the same spend per student as Eton. All the private\public schools do is divide and segregate. There is no logical case for these schools to exist other than snobbery and continuing the class divide. Remember, all the damage done to this country, politically and economically, has been done by the ex pupils of these schools.

[@Brinslade]

These independent schools take many overseas students, as they have money. Brexit has hit their recruitment from the EU, but the lower pound has bought in more Asian students. People who value this type of education are willing to pay for it. However, the issue is really about making good quality education available to everyone, so phase out these schools and make places overseas students to enter those schools in the state sector (many do already).

[@angryjohn5754]

Boo-Hoo 😢😢 Poor little rich children!! Daddy will just have to buy you a Mercedes instead of an Aston Martin.

[@clifforddowler5765]

Privatised health care also fits into the same argument .

[@Mistah_john]

let us be more like Finland, ban fee paying schools, not just for the education benefit to our children and society, but look what Eaton has done to the UK

[@sharongillesp]

Boo-Hoo! 😭 No more private schools….🤣

[@davidmatthews3093]

I taught in Mayfield but not in that school. Many of the children who went to the private schools were rich farmers’ children whose parents paid to avoid their children needing SEN support in state schools.

[@franklettering]

We've got to keep the separation of the classes up to date. ! Without private education we plebs would never have learned that "we're all in it together".

[@ilokivi]

As a person who enjoyed and benefited from grant-funded university education and pioneered an exchange with a Finnish university from Canterbury, I would like others to have the same opportunity to benefit from it. Institutionalised inequality is inequitable, unjust and penalises the overwhelming majority of young people in the UK through no fault of theirs. I hope that the Labour party will use the extra tax revenues to increase state education funding, to raise the quality of schooling for creative and critical reasoning so that as adults they are able to exercise it.

[@stephaniebarker9244]

The gap will become bigger in the end. The smaller prep schools are just surviving and the fees are much less than what you have mentioned. These smaller schools will not survive. The only ones surviving are the top tier where the wealthy children can easily afford to go. Therefore the gap will be bigger.

[@bebel1934]

It’s no accident that we see this increasing issue of “poorly funded poorly performing public schools” in so many global north nations . What better way is there to keep the majority financially struggling ,uneducated and unquestioning while fixated on a dream that you have an equal shot of success in the rat race? And of course we know those going to these privileged schools are more likely to earn more ,be in positions of power and send their children to the same elite schools to keep this power cycle going. I have family who sent their children to elite privates in the US. There is no way any child coming out of the best American public school system can compete fairly with the education, connections ,endless list of extras these schools supply and most important the fast track to elite universities . And that does not even include the additional tutoring and life refining experiences parents with this level of money can buy. In addition to underfunding schools we see the simultaneous underfunding or reduction of all public services for the majority . Under the guise of necessary and “responsible”financial austerity. This is why the French continue to stay on the protest line - they understand once you allow an extra retirement year or 2 to be added the rest of the playbook soon follows. I appreciate recently finding this channel. Keep up the great analysis and news!

[@bereal6590]

👏👏👏👏👍✌

[@cdean2789]

Another Pledge that Starmer will abandon

[@Fordnan]

Yep. Why anyone would believe anything Starmer says any more is beyond me.

[@barnaclefelching4079]

I'm in floods, how deeply unfair on the very best of us. So many private schools provide a wonderful basis and grounding for future monsters, I'll fight to the bitter end to ensure entitled parents get their entitled children the very education that shatters their independence, empathy and compassion. Where will we get all the bullies from? State schools? As if

[@edmundprice5276]

I think what should be done is that the State-funded schools should receive equal funding to the average private school, that is the way to tackle education inequality.

[@HalimaBrewer]

There should be NO privately funded schools. If everyone is sen as equal, and thus get equally quality education, we would have far fewer problems directly caused by inequality ( which is most of them)

[@musclebear]

While people can't eat or keep a roof over their head...absolutely stunning

[@AllIsWellaus]

I don't blame parents who utilise the current system. I agree public institutions should be pushing back bringing in an open conversation showing the benefits of an education for all. This is what I also a huge piece of what truly represents a democracy.

[@Arateenteras]

“Higher quality education”?..Education are not only the subjects you learn ,it also shapes the individual.Any education that starts with class issues goes in detriment of a society as a whole.

[@martinriley106]

I bet the teachers at this private school didn’t have to go on strike to better pay?

[@Susandwyer]

What that guy basically said, is that if they are taxed, they will take it out on the kids going there, and their parents, rather than absorb the cost out of their lavish incomes,

[@samlee86421]

They aren’t abolishing private schools. They are just making them more expensive and hence more elitist.

[@Rich_H_1972]

1st) Remove their tax subsidies immediate, then 2nd) Increase taxes they pay to subsidise the state schools they have opted out of, thereby supporting invested of state education, then 3rd) Ban/close them outright Do those things over time, but within a decade, and we can increase infrastructure and funding of our state education while sending a clear message to private schools that their days are numbered.

[@micahottaway8455]

It's about £8000-£12000 grand per term to attend depending at that school. Give that crocodile some toothpicks I guess to stop those bloody tears.

[@alexritchie4586]

If they closed or banned private schools where would Novara Media get all of its presenters?

[@SL-sd3sg]

It’s all about networking.

[@edwardcraigs4764]

I have a real problem with an aspect of Mike’s argument: that he was privileged to go to a private school, and then that he feels that everyone should be able to benefit from the standard of education he received. Like him, I was privately educated and then spent my professional life teaching in comprehensive schools,and I have to say that I find it deeply offensive to hear yet again this ritual trashing of state education, the lament being that private education is intrinsically of a higher standard, it’s just a shame that not everyone can benefit from these standards. As a pupil, and then as a colleague, this has not been my experience. Michael is exactly right when he refers to ‘social capital’: private schools are merely a self-fulfilling prophecy in terms of their perceived standards. I have no doubt that some of them are excellent, but I suspect that so are a large proportion of state schools.

[@upontheroof]

In a civilised society good quality health and education should be available to all, for life, paid for through general taxation.

[@spadhnik]

People are only talking about how much fees schools take and not talking about the difference in education and co-curriculum activities between private and state. If we had enough grammar schools for children in UK, we won’t need private schools.

[@nigeltrigger4499]

If private schools become more expensive then perhaps they will become even more elitist?

[@hylens5111]

The consequences would be dire! Oh no.

[@benosborne1752]

I went to an independent school on a scholarship - and at the time it was better for me (better understanding and support of Dyslexia) - and I find it odd that VAT is not charged. Perhaps something in the interim that gives the lower end ones a rebate if they offer more scholarships .... But the biggest fear is that the lessons of what works well in independent schools is lost (smaller class sizes are the biggest one )

[@julielevinge266]

The more wealthy parents,more clout available to change for improvements & fight cuts.

[@falconhoof6]

Private education isn't necessarily of a higher quality, it's just that most state schools are underfunded. Fund state education properly and there's no reason why there would be a quality disparity.

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@dorian7215]

Thanks for that perspective.

[@rogerdines6244]

I have always felt that the only way to improve education generally is to abolish public schools because it closes the options for the upper classes which will mean they will put pressure on the general system to improve.

[@citizencan4444]

they'll just send their kids abroad to an extra elite institution... What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@dorian7215]

You mean private, right? I believe there what they did in Finland. The reason: the wealthy are less likely to screw over the poor if the are amongst them.

[@steveclark7918]

I used to worry about closing down private schools. It's not a concern for me now, as I feel the harm to society outweighs any good. Be like Finland, all public.

[@W1DO]

Mike managed to avoid saying he benefited from the old boys network.

[@W1DO]

One thing is for sure, the education of children will suffer as a result of their parents choices.

[@bahialynch3037]

My heart bleeds 😢

[@ImAMassiveBender]

I went to private school, it's a complete waste of money borderline scam. Unpopular opinion here, but private schools get good results because the parents are rich and the children are instilled with an academic culture, closing them down will make state schools better because the posh kids will get good results with or without the private schools.

[@citizencan4444]

What most people don't realize is that this is exactly what the 0.001% wants. Because private schools are not about education. It is about building social connections among the elite. And by taking away tax benefit of private education, we are making the club that much more exclusive. Because then new money families that are just transitioning from upper middle class to lower upper class won't be incentivized or able to join the club anymore. While the elites (with whom money and tax is not a factor at all) will still send their kids to these institutions to build up their personal connections. And it is this smaller group of elites that will control institutions that matters (behind the scenes, of course). The real elites are quite happy letting the masses think this a win for public education. It serves their goal of quietly dominating all aspects of business and government.

[@normanchristie4524]

We sent our son to a state school, he blossomed; went to a university of his choosing , Lancaster, and is having a happy successful career.

[@alexritchie4586]

I know from experience that private schools basically operate as qualification mills. Pupils are re-tested over and over again until they get the 'correct' results. I've known more than a few private and grammar schools in my area to just blatantly help their students cheat when they're underperforming. It's an enormous scandal, but nothing will ever be done about it. Don't forget, PPE at Oxbridge was invented as a course to give a degree to the dumbest cunts who've ever rolled out of private schools, but now one can't get into government without having done PPE at Oxbridge.

[@bob23301]

Children across entire counties in England living in poverty levels not last seen in the UK since the 1930s, and here is a guy who lives in another world where private school fees maybe hard to reach for some of those poor rich people.

[@AnonymousCaveman]

If the parents can't "afford it" maybe you should... Lower the price? Thought They're all about the "free market". They can stick the vat to 30% for all I care. Or better yet... They should take away their charity status rubbish that they get away with.

[@donaldanderson6604]

I taught in state schools for 40 years and my gross annual salary never equalled a year's boarding fees at Mayfield. There are plenty of first rate state schools and I find the lazy assumption that the standard of teaching is better in fee paying schools offensive. I wonder how many private school teachers are burn outs from state schools. I suspect many of them would not last five minutes in a comp.

[@joeg46Highlands]

One problem - taxing private schools, making them more expensive, may make them even more more exclusive and insular.

[@citizen530]

Rishi Sunak is the template of how to buy your way up the social ladder.

[@murrayscott3513]

Probably 95 % of the parents will afford it.

[@martinriley106]

Oh wo is me! “Wo, Wo and thrice Wo” please give us a break, if they can afford private education then they must have enough money to pay some form of duty.

[@Queenfloofles]

My daughter is incredibly intelligent, she's attending state school.She could do any job she wanted to but due to the fact I can't afford a better education her life chances are less. It makes me incredibly angry.

[@willsmith39]

I attended state school got 6 A's and entry to Oxbridge. It's the kids that aren't as smart where the much smaller class size and personal attention of the teacher in private schools can make a massive difference. Edit A's in my highers ( I'm Scottish ) before someone calls bs on me getting 6 A's at A level 😂

[@drummingtildeath]

Do you get angry when you can't afford a nice car like some people can?

[@carlpierce2486]

Hey Will im English and i did six A levels. Then did Engineering at Cambridge.

[@willsmith39]

@@carlpierce2486 Wow impressive. 6 highers was more than enough for me.

[@user-ws1cl2eq5w]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I'm crying laughing. Paying for an school education isn't going to open the door to goldman sachs or the magic circle and help her with an 80 hour week. If she's that intelligent she'd get 4 strong a-levels self study and get the foot in the door for an internship. Something tells me she'll be teaching in 5 years time....😂

[@groogleboogle]

Watch the 1968 film "if" that tells you all you need to know about public schools, we should feel sorry for the little blighters, no wonder they turn into warped adults.