OT: Scottish Independence/Referendum

[Andy_Faber]

Not sure I described you two as actually 'agreeing'...miracles take a little longer.
I meant I don't think he was challenging your right to send your kids to independent school on any sort of moral basis.
A little ironically, bringing our kids up on two teachers' salaries meant we had to concentrate our efforts and finances on buying a house in a decent area...the option of paying for additional school fees didn't arise. With that 'decent' area came an equally decent school and I don't think my own kids would have benefited further from attending an independent school. It seems Swale feels the same.
Beyond that my only moral problem is with a society that sees Parliament - or at least the current government - dominated by the product of elitist public schools making decisions on what goes on in our poorest schools. Put bluntly...those who went to the likes of Elton and Harrow haven't a clue what goes on or needs to be done in schools like Merrill, it simply isn't and has never been part of their reality.

Just as a matter of interest, did you consider selling yourself to the independant sector for the sake of free places for your children?

[ramAnag]

Lol...no!

[Andy_Faber]

Lol...no!

I don't understand the lol bit. Ethics?

[Ram59]

I think getting the right schooling for your children is a bit of a minefield, that relies on good parenting, good teaching and a bit of good luck.

The first 2 are obvious, but the luck comes in when your children due to random circumstances, get stuck in the wrong class with the wrong teacher and/or the wrong fellow classmates.

I've seen kids with similar backgrounds and parents go off in opposite directions due to a bit of luck.

Personally mine went to a local school which was often in special measures, my eldest was in the same class as Troy Deeny, and although he struggled academically has worked hard to get a trade. The other 2 however, did very well and went on to get Master's degrees in mechanical engineering at Nottingham uni (handy for the home games).

Fortunately, Troy has turned his life around, but I suspect a number of his peers didn't get a second chance and are probably continuing the cycle with their own children.

[ramAnag]

I don't understand the lol bit. Ethics?

My own personal motivation was to work with disadvantaged/disaffected kids. There isn't a lot of provision for that within the independent sector - although arguably Johnson, Cameron and Osborn have all proved to be maladjusted - and fortunately my own kids didn't fit that category either.

I agree Ram59, it can be a lottery but there are things we all probably do to minimise the risk. Mine all went to the same school and three out of four went on to University. Oddly the one that didn't has gone on to be the best rewarded, so far, and the one with the best (or at least most prestigious) job.

[roger_ramjet]

hence you have adopted R4J as your new pet !

[ramAnag]

hence you have adopted R4J as your new pet !

Lol...certainly not. Now stop **** stirring.

[Trickytreesreds]

[QUOTE=swaledale;38479964]- a xenophobe is someone like Tricky who from his posts has a hatred of anyone who isn't English - a hatred of foreigners is xenophobia, a fear or a dislike due to unfamilairity is not the same.

What utter bollox you spout.
You really are an anal ram rod at times. Perhaps this will interest you then cup cake. My girl friend is a Canadian Native Indian.
I despise her so much, I make here live in a teepee in the yard.
My cousins are Scottish and my brother in law Welsh. Do I hate them? No of course I don't. But I will stick up for my heritage and no dish out BJ's like you for brownie points.

You are so laughable, please keep going. It amuses me greatly.

[Andy_Faber]

My own personal motivation was to work with disadvantaged/disaffected kids. There isn't a lot of provision for that within the independent sector

Hats off to you for that. One of the more callous aspects of (some) independent schools is their habit of moving disaffected kids on, usually into the state sector. However, and callous as it sounds, it certainly benefits the kids who would have otherwise been impacted - in the independent school.

[ramAnag]

Not just independent schools Andy, believe me. No need for any 'hats off', it's what I wanted to do...others doubtless want to teach 'high flyers' and that's fair enough. You aren't really being 'callous' either imo. Disaffected kids can be enormously demanding in a mainstream setting...problems arise when the 'target setters' - who haven't a clue how to actually do the job - move in and don't take account of such factors. The only answer then for mainstream staff is often to move the 'troublemakers' on. As a job I found it rewarding and frustrating in equal measure.