Etonians. Anyone Agree?

[FredPuli43]

From Saturday's,today's, Times: //The number of Old Etonians at the heart of the Government is a reflection of the school’s “commitment to public service”, according to one of David Cameron’s new policy advisers.

Jesse Norman, who was appointed this week to the Prime Minister’s parliamentary advisory board of MPs, launched an impassioned defence of his old school, saying that it imbued its students with an “ethos” of public service.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Norman said: “Other schools don’t have the same commitment to public service. They do other things. It’s one of the few schools where the pupils really do run vast chunks of the school themselves. So they don’t defer in quite the same way, they do think there’s the possibility of making change through their own actions.

“Of course, they are highly privileged — it would be absurd to deny that — but the whole point of what Michael Gove is trying to do is to recover that independent school ethos within the state system, so that people from whatever walk of life can feel that they can take a proper part to the maximum.” ?//

Worth quoting, for full effect, but doesn't anyone here agree? Any comments? (I don't agree with the specific defence of Eton)

[emmie]

not sure that situation of someone collapsing and no one does anything has anything to do with your education, that is sadly a world we seem to inhabit. I have had to call ambulances any number of times for folk who have collapsed on the ground, where the populace at large stepped round and walked on, uncaring stupid people. They could have been educated at Stepney comp or Harrow, it matters not a jot.

[jim360]

@ZM Yes, but my point would be that the way to end the Eton domination of politics, etc., would be to improve the prospects of people from other schools entering politics and business. Then it does become a matter about different education standards, because the reason that other schools don't produce nearly as many public figures is going to be related partly to lower standards.

It's surprising not just how many politicians, but also how many actors, musicians, comedians... went through the same system.

[Zacs-Master]

Point taken jim.

[Sqad]

I agree with the conclusions of the post of Shari.

Leadership and it's development implies a marked degree of respect and discipline which is invoked in the Public Schools at an early age.
State schools seem to neglect the two entities that i have mentioned and hence as of limited importance and hence pupils enter the outside world at a disadvantage.......in my opinion.

[emmie]

then why don't we have better schools, with the best teachers for the majority who go through the state system.

[Sharingan]

I'm not sure they were uncaring exactly though Em, but they were just inanimate and unwilling to stick their necks out or organise anything, and my point was I wondered if state school perhaps doesn't prepare people well for that sort of sudden decision making.

[jim360]

The problem is that the best teachers want to teach classes that are easier to teach. Public schools, with tougher discipline and pupils whose parents are paying huge sums of money, are going to be filled with children wanting to learn. State schools tend to have some children who seem to me not to want to learn nearly as much. So the classes are less easy to control, some children show less interest, and so on.

From the teacher's perspective, which class is going to be more fun to teach in for a career? The well-behaved, motivated class. So the good teachers go there.

[Sharingan]

I really got that impression Sqad, and the Dr who took over from us to be honest sounded every inch public school ( although that is a terribly snuffy thing for me to say, but he had a cut glass RP accent which I would doubt he got at the local comp).

[anneasquith]

reading your scenario shar,,,,,,,, you young capable people seemed to have the situation under control, but to suggest others were uncapable/uneducated is a bit unfair........... just how many people does it take to deal with an emergency ?

[Zacs-Master]

then why don't we have better schools, with the best teachers for the majority who go through the state system......

Because the nature of our political system means that new education ministers (or whatever the party choose to call the head of education, as there have been many confusing titles) like to make their mark and in so doing create upheaval in schools which means that the teachers time is taken up in getting to grips with the new 'system' rather than teaching.

[Sqad]

Shari...LOL...bit like wot i av then.

[emmie]

you can go to the best schools, and still be a fool. It is the usual i don't want to get involved attitude that pervades our society, see someone on the street perhaps about to get attacked and walk off, don't even bother to call the police. At least three occasions where i phoned an ambulance, the last one was a young guy who was prone on the ground, as it turned out dead drunk, the paramedics came and treated him, but why did no one else intervene, because they don't care.

[anneasquith]

( sounded every inch public school ) ( which i doubt he got at local comp ). shar, im speechless at your assumptions !!!!!!!!

[Sharingan]

No I didn't suggest they were poorly educated or incapable, I was talking very specifically about their ability to lead a situation and wondered if they actually teach that sort of thing in state schools because I am sure they do at places like Eton and likewise it has been part of my home education. I'm not seeking to suggest that anyone is better than anyone else, just querying the teaching of leadership skills in state schools and throwing that open for discussion. I hope no-one's offended, that was certainly not my intention and I do believe very strongly in the state school system.

[Sharingan]

Anne it does tend to be true that people attending their local comprehensive schools pick up their local accent. This gentleman either had elocution lessons or went to school somewhere where RP is the norm. We were in Birmingham, they have a very heavy 'black country' accent around here, so I really don't think it's too much of an assumption to guess he was educated privately. Once again I meant no offence to anyone who wasn't.

[Gromit]

Off topic.

The problem with teaching is there isn't much of a career path. If you are a great teacher, you get promoted to an admin job (head teacher).

[emmie]

if anyone believes in our state school system then more fool them, it often churns out youngsters ill prepared for a life of work, being competitive in a very modern competitive world. I would rather we had good state schools where all pupils get a more than a chance. Fee paying is the option if you want your child to get a good education, and sadly it's tough for the rest who can't afford it.

[anneasquith]

i and my family were neither home schooled or privately educated. and we all have excellend diction, and i do feel a bit insulted by your views.. but hey ho, as sqad would say ( its no big deal ) :)

[emmie]

i don't think they attend Eton to do good works, public service, but to set themselves up for life in Politics, commerce, banking, high profile, well paid jobs, goods works are often done by unpaid volunteers.

[tonyav]

em, I believe they attend Eton, because that is where their rich and privileged parents choose to send them, just like daddy.