Alan Benett, 'A private Education is unfair'

[Mister M]

..........

[Bonzo77]

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/17/alan-bennett-attack-private-education-lecture-wrong

 

Alan Bennett claims a private education is unfair. But let's face it, if you had the funds, wouldn't you give your child the best start in life with a private education?

Eton is worth it for the contacts alone, which is another privilege you are paying for.

 

Not a chance! My kids are going to the same school I went to. I wouldn't send them to private school. A state education is more than enough of a start in life for anyone.

[Mister M]

I've read what you said, but I don't think much about it. Just being honest.

 

 

 

If I had 50 different personas and lived penniless on a council estate it wouldn't make my comment any less true.

 

Is that an admission Xenia?

[Coutts]

You really are an arrogant piece of work aren't you?

 

No.

 

you have never come across someone who was talented but didn't have what it takes to 'go it alone'?

 

I don't think that's possible, "real" talent would find a way obviously.

 

In other words, someone who could have contributed far more to society had they been given a chance but were overlooked because they hadn't attended the right school or knew the right people.

 

You love making excuses don't you, quite tedious. If only this, if only that.

 

formed my own company in 1984 in the middle of a recession, ran it for 16 years and sold it for a quite reasonable amount to an international PLC in 2000.

 

Well done, you achieved what should be considered normal practice but at a rather drawn out pace.

 

Since then I have not needed to work, and never will again unless I become interested in something which I think will interest me.

 

You stopped working in 2000 with enough money to retire for good but haven't done anything for 14 YEARS through lack of interest? I don't even know what to say to that. That's some serious time you've wasted. Look harder maybe.

 

Is that an admission Xenia?

 

Nope. Not this time. He did admit to one on another thread the other day though.

[Mecky]

Alan Bennett embodies the British values that Gove whittles on about but doesn't seem very keen on putting into practice.

 

---------- Post added 18-06-2014 at 18:26 ----------

 

 

If effort were the sole determining factor in someone's wealth and income then a great deal many more poor people would be richer, and many rich people would be flat on their backs.

 

With a dagger in it

[mjw47]

No.

 

 

 

I don't think that's possible, "real" talent would find a way obviously.

 

 

 

You love making excuses don't you, quite tedious. If only this, if only that.

 

 

 

Well done, you achieved what should be considered normal practice but at a rather drawn out pace.

 

 

 

You stopped working in 2000 with enough money to retire for good but haven't done anything for 14 YEARS through lack of interest? I don't even know what to say to that. That's some serious time you've wasted. Look harder maybe.

 

 

 

 

Real talent comes in many guises and is not always accompanied by the necessary organizational skills therefore it needs support which is not always forthcoming.

 

Those are not excuses they are reasons why some people although gifted don't make it.

 

Normal practice? You think everyone can start their own business? Where would they find employees from?

 

Drawn out pace? What the hell are you on about? I said I worked in senior management for PLC's for years, and then formed my own company which I ran for 16 years. Where does 'drawn out' come into it?

 

I did have a 26% stake in another company owned by a friend for eighteen months but other than that no, nothing interests me and I don't need to do something which bores me, understand?

 

In what way am I wasting my time? You see, that right there, is why I accused you of being arrogant. You presume to know what is best for someone you have no knowledge of.

 

There is also the small matter of the coronary heart problem, which resulted in a triple bye pass in 2008.

One of the reasons which contributed to the decision to sell the company.

[Cyclone]

If the poor and middle classes put the same levels of energy into becoming successful as they do whining and bleating they could send their own kids to Eton.

 

ANYONE can BECOME highly successful if they desire, wealth isn't something you can only be born into.

 

Wealth doesn't mean you aren't middle class.

 

Aristocracy is something that you are born into.

[Lockjaw]

The 11 plus was discontinued in the late 60's.

What most people are unaware of is if the child scored a sufficiently high mark to not be sent to a secondary (or secondary modern, as they were called in sheffield and some other places) school then under the tripartite system they would be sent to either a grammar or technical school the choice by the selectors was determined by the occupation of the child's father, not the test score and certainly not the wishes expressed by the parents on the (for want of a better word) 'application' form.

 

Being sent to either a grammar or a tech was basically a class distinction more than an academic achievement or anything else.

 

Some students, I believe it was not all, in the secondary modern schools were allowed a second chance and reassessed in their 3rd year, the 13+ and if sucessful in scoring highly enough they would usually be sent to a technical school.

.

.

 

Dunno about the third one but your first two paragraphs are nonsense.

 

I did the 11 plus in 1976 and went to a grammar school. The father was, at that time, an unemployed roofer.

[Mecky]

Dunno about the third one but your first two paragraphs are nonsense.

 

I did the 11 plus in 1976 and went to a grammar school. The father was, at that time, an unemployed roofer.

 

We've been through all this before. Private/grammar schools do not always provide the best education, lot's of kids flunk. What they do do is associate people. So you say your old man was unemployed and you went to grammar school, what does that prove? Yes, there are examples of poor people getting into these types of schools but they'd stand a better chances in their parents were paying their fees or for extra tuition. The poor cannot afford to do that. For the well off it is self-perpetuation

[anywebsite]

We've been through all this before. Private/grammar schools do not always provide the best education, lot's of kids flunk. What they do do is associate people. So you say your old man was unemployed and you went to grammar school, what does that prove? Yes, there are examples of poor people getting into these types of schools but they'd stand a better chances in their parents were paying their fees or for extra tuition. The poor cannot afford to do that. For the well off it is self-perpetuation

 

Grammar schools were free & selected on ability. It proves there's no easy way out for the poor now unless you can play football, the lack of grammar schools gives private schools a bigger advantage.