School Fraud Case Dropped

[Julnar]

A young mum who lied on a school application has had the fraud charges against her dropped. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8130541.s tm While I feel the charges were excessive for such a case, should there be some kind of punishment for such parents or are her actions just an accepted part of the enrolment 'game' these days?

[hc4361]

If you think it's okay for parents to 'play the game' then schools should just pick names out of a hat, and tough for those not chosen.

[paraffin]

I've just seen her on BBC News describing herself as "innocent". Mmmmhhhh.

It seems as though she was "at it" but the dipsticks of the school authority picked the wrong offence with which to have her prosecuted. That's why it was chucked out.

I suppose it was a bit OTT but this business of sending little Henry or Henrietta to the "right" school appears to be getting a smidgen out of hand with pushy parents trying by any means to pull a fast one.

I reckon she should by made to put on the Noddy hat and have to stand in the corner for an hour!

[youngmafbog]

If noo labour provided good public schools then this would not happen.

The weak government is 100% to blame.

[daffy654]

If these parents really wanted to get their children into the best schools legitimately they would move to the areas where the schools are located.

[paraffin]

young:

And had the Government been to your political liking, you'd presumably have been of the same opinion?

PS: I'm what's known as a "floating voter", just in case you think I'm Jake the Peg in disguise!

[whifffey]

She won't be prosecuted because her name is Patel, too many potential racist pathways lead from there.

Seriously though, the changing demographic of Britain means that the benchmarks of educational achievement have to be altered in order to maintain the illusion of equality. Some kids are ineducable, pure and simple, no amount of tuition will get them into university, unless of course you drop the entry requirements and make special provisions etc etc but that is another story.

Good Luck to Mrs Patel.

[paraffin]

Totally wrong, whiffey: you only have to look at the Royal Family.

PS: I said "Royal", not "Royle".

[whifffey]

Yes ok paraffin, I'm looking at the Royal Family, they are all intelligent and articulate, reflecting a British Public School education, so what is your point?

[flip_flop]

whiffey - they have made the requirements easier.

A Levels are not what they once were and there are far too many soft non-courses to encourange those that aren't academically adequate to still get into university.

Medya studies, psychology, sociology etc...

In my day, which was 'only' 20 years ago, the vast majority of people took three A Levels - only the most academically gifted attempted a fourth. In my school (which was - it no longer is - a Grammar school) only 3 sixth formers out of about 40 attempted a fourth A Level. I know this because in assembly it was big news.

Nowadays kids are taking as many as six (more in some cases) A Levels and attaining A passes in each.

This is all the evidence I need to know A Levels are easier.

I'm not suggesting for one moment that kids aren't working as hard as they used to, but, rather cynically, I believe kids are being encouraged into university to keep the jobless numbers down.

Anyway, in Mrs Patel's case - if my local school was failing, and I don't know if hers was, I'd also lie to ensure my children got into a better school.

If its good enough for Blair, Harman and Abbot, its good enough for eveybody else - OK, they [possibly] didn't lie, but they DID fly in the face of what Labour were preaching to us plebs.

[whifffey]

If you mark exams easier or whatever, make it so that everybody gets 3 As at A-level, then where does it go? You artificially elevate the perception that Britain is a top-dog nation intellectually. Paper qualifications have to be translated into achievement.

I wonder if the day will come when Oxford and Cambridge are compelled to admit a quota of under-achievers for a load of wrong reasons.

[123everton]

Firstly Asian kids tend to do well at education, secondly (just a thought) why was'nt the father prosecuted/there/mentioned also?