Inequality

[Kepler-186]

6 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

I don't think the English are especially political compared to the other parts of the UK and I think it's always been that way. If you look at stuff like Citizen Smith, I know it's only a show but it sort of symbolises how people who are into politics or any kind of activism in England are perceived as being weird and wacky. You could say the same for how the city of Liverpool is depicted to outsiders in England too.

 

The English I think feel they've benefited from imperialism, that the blue bloods are better than us, but that somehow their magic rubs off on us and makes us better than everyone else. 

 

I think the Tories are perceived as the middle layer of the cake. Blue bloods at the top, Tories administering the empire, and us lot looking up and being grateful for crumbs.

 

We only really stray from that when the administration is perceived to be broken  or has lost its way, such as under Major with civil war over Europe. Even then, non Tory governments are little more than a brief interlude. 

 

Yeah, even the older education systems helped with the idea that you needed to know Latin or Greek to access the better things in life; while we needed to innovate and create. It’s Keeping Up Appearances in the suburbs!

 

 

[Section_31]

8 minutes ago, Kepler-186 said:

Yeah, even the older education systems helped with the idea that you needed to know Latin or Greek to access the better things in life; while we needed to innovate and create. It’s Keeping Up Appearances in the suburbs!

 

 

 

The private school system is a massive part of it. Kids are actually schooled to have grand expectations, kids in inner city secondary schools will have none at all.

[Kepler-186]

2 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

 

The private school system is a massive part of it. Kids are actually schooled to have grand expectations, kids in inner city secondary schools will have none at all.

Yeah, I mentioned the TV show on Harrow. They’re basically hot housed dawn till dusk with learning then extra curricular activities. More spent on a day of their education than a kid in a comp (or now Academy which have privatised comps) gets in a month. 
Fronted adverbials? Tick box here to show fact learned, but no understanding. Gove stitched up teachers, after cancelling prison literacy and libraries. Shite, isn’t it. 
 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

On 08/08/2017 at 09:30, AngryOfTuebrook said:

And I repped it twice.

 

Here's an article (cited by Ellie Mae O'Hagan) in which an alumnus of Scotland's poshest school describes what it was like and - more importantly - what it was all for.

http://bright-green.org/2013/06/25/my-public-school-days-the-building-of-upper-class-solidarity/

 

The classes were, of course, good. They were small (10-20 pupils), and most of the teachers were effective. Though some were clearly chosen more for their ability to coach rugby or cricket, and all slotted in to the absurdly posh setting, a few were truly excellent. I found most of them maddening in that they aimed to do no more than spoon feed us with the answers we needed to give in order to get the exam grades to be allowed into Britain’s more famous universities, but the odd one strained at that leash. And that job, at least, they certainly did.

 

But it is not because you want your child to get top grades that you send them to live for five years at a British public school. There are much easier and cheaper ways to achieve that.

 

There is a bizarre belief held by many that success in Britain correlates to intelligence and hard work. This is a very middle class concept. What the upper class understands is that success stems from two things: confidence – or, at least, the appearance of confidence, and community. And they are the purpose of public school.

 

So, all those hours of sport, the diet, the uncomfortable beds – they are all part of a process. They ensure that no one is fat, and that everyone reaches the maximum of their genetically permitted height – that everyone appears healthy, fit.

 

But more importantly, they are all about team building. These activities exist to build generation after generation who will work together to run a now vanished empire. Whilst the ruling elite might preach rugged individualism, we are brought up to sing together as a whole community every morning, to stand together on the rugby pitch every afternoon, and, after leaving, to go away together to govern India. Each school even has its own, surreal words: ‘docket’, ‘prep’, ‘Coll’, ‘beak’. The more prominent English schools even have their own sports – the Eton Wall Game, Winchester Fives and, well, Rugby Football.

 

In short, the aim is simple: to build class solidarity. Whilst there are many reasons that essentially the same families have ruled Britain for a millennium, this process of team building, of bonding is surely one of them.

 

And who were we taught to stand against? Anyone who has met me knows that, despite growing up in Scotland, I have what some call an English accent. I suppose I’d argue it’s better described as a ‘posh’ accent. If you didn’t speak like this at my school, you’d be bullied.

 

The specific term used was ‘scoit’ – laden with the implications of ‘chav’, but with the bizarre added hangover of the post-1745 crackdown on Scottish culture. Whilst the teachers tried to stop this astonishingly offensive tradition, it lasted throughout my time there – and the school made headlines a few years later when some of its pupils posted online a video in which they claimed to be ‘chav hunting’. So perhaps the oppression has shifted from anti-Scots in particular to just anti-working class. Of course, this tendency isn’t actively encouraged. But the culture of the school certainly perpetuates it.

 

The middle classes are taught to believe that they will succeed through individual hard work and gumption. The upper class know that this is nonsense – or, at least, our traditions are built on the idea that it is.

 

And so they teach their children to stick together, to exude confidence whether or not they have a clue what they are doing, to appear physically fit: to form old boys’ networks and to look out for one another. And if you don’t believe this, you just need to visit a British public school, and watch the values being drilled into the children.

Always worth re-reading this article about how the purpose of public schools is to build class solidarity for the ruling classes.

[Kepler-186]

Class Wars on iPlayer worth a watch. Darren McGarvey. 3 episodes. Only watched the first one. Based on Scotland 

[Skidfingers McGonical]

2 hours ago, Bruce Spanner said:

Was watching BBC London a few years back and Gerry Francis was on for whatever reason.

 

Anyhows the host then glibly introduced a band called 'Lost Lady Luck'

 

 

 

It's fucking awful, but well worth a listen, by complete conicidence it's Gerry Francis' sons band, mad, eh?

That’s 23 seconds of my life I’m never getting back. 

[Bruce Spanner]

Just now, Skidfingers McGonical said:

That’s 23 seconds of my life I’m never getting back. 

 

Awful, isn't it?

 

Me and @Mr Holliday went through a phase of playing it at parties and whatnot pretending we thought it was a banger, still do occasionally.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

7 minutes ago, Bruce Spanner said:

 

Awful, isn't it?

 

Me and @Mr Holliday went through a phase of playing it at parties and whatnot pretending we thought it was a banger, still do occasionally.

It’s a riff from a “Top 50 Licks with Ronnie “Lightning Fingers” Shitwheeler DVD. 
 

It’s just full of twatness. 

[VladimirIlyich]

8 hours ago, Bruce Spanner said:

Was watching BBC London a few years back and Gerry Francis was on for whatever reason.

 

Anyhows the host then glibly introduced a band called 'Lost Lady Luck'

 

 

 

It's fucking awful, but well worth a listen, by complete conicidence it's Gerry Francis' sons band, mad, eh?

Those birds have absolutely no idea how to use those guitars.

[Section_31]

https://news.sky.com/story/wealthiest-americans-including-elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-paid-no-income-tax-12328061

 

 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Pisses me off when they mention their philanthropy, pay your fucking taxes.

[SasaS]

No income tax, no VAT. No money back, no guarantee.

[VladimirIlyich]

12 hours ago, SasaS said:

No income tax, no VAT. No money back, no guarantee.

God bless hookey street.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Tories shifting the balance of education funding away from poorer kids towards richer ones.

 

https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2021/jul/02/funding-for-deprived-schools-in-england-has-shifted-to-wealthy-areas-study-finds?__twitter_impression=true&s=09

 

[Kepler-186]

New Tory education funding formulae revealed. 

[Bruce Spanner]

31 minutes ago, Kepler-186 said:

New Tory education funding formulae revealed. 

 

The idea behind this, kind of, made sense, but the application and contextualisation of it is a parody of ill thought out nonsense.

 

So, it's based around a funding formula per pupil, each recieves a set amount which is allocated as the school budget one part of Blair's genuine contributions to this country being a bit less shit for poor folk, Education Action Zones. These identified areas where deprivation were highest, staff retention lowest and results, with context, worse. You then pump money in to these schools and make sure they can afford to hire experienced/good teachers and have acceptable resources.

 

London got a huge advantage as they have the salary weighting as it cost a fortune to live here, so spend per head would need to be higher or the schools are footing the bill, or they can not get staff to move here, then feed in to the the other costs associated with London life and you needed the weighting. This was hugely successful and London schools, in some of the poorest areas, are now some of the best in the country through targeted action and intervention. A solid plan which was working to bring standards up across the board and was successful in other parts of the country as well.. The only real issue is staffing as you need people to want to feel that moving to a shithole was worth it for them professionally/personally, which will naturally lead to some disparities.

 

This obviously angried up the perpetually angry, so the tories scrapped it and brought in a 'leveled playing field' agenda which looks to give an equal amount to pupils, with a little contextual data. Think of the old colonialist using rulers to section up Africa and you're looking at the methodology of this. 

 

Under thought out nonsense, again, which will effect the most disadvantaged the most.

 

The secondary problem with this is 'Pupils Premium' funding allowences. These are given to schools per pupil who is on free school meals. It's a fixed amount per pupil and the schools are free to decide how it's spent, though obviously they have to justify it, so the most disadvantaged have the oppertunity to bring opportunity to those taht would normally have been left behind.

 

What the Tories failed to tell everybody when they were talking about pumping money in to recovery is that it wasn't new money, they had juat taken the ability to use this freely and told schools that it is to be used for this 'catch up' process thus reducing significantly spending on disadvantaged pupils. Tutoring can only come through an authorised body, which is charging a significant premium for being a middle man.

 

Throw in the cuts that are happening over the next few years and you are looking at significant job losses, especially in support staff who work with the most at risk.

 

Tory gonna Tory.

 

 

[Kepler-186]

2 minutes ago, Bruce Spanner said:

 

The idea behind this, kind of, made sense, but the application and contextualisation of it is a parody of ill thought out nonsense.

 

So, it's based around a funding formula per pupil, each recieves a set amount which is allocated as the school budget one part of Blair's genuine contributions to this country being a bit less shit for poor folk, Education Action Zones. These identified areas where deprivation were highest, staff retention lowest and results, with context, worse. You then pump money in to these schools and make sure they can afford to hire experienced/good teachers and have acceptable resources.

 

London got a huge advantage as they have the salary weighting as it cost a fortune to live here, so spend per head would need to be higher or the schools are footing the bill, or they can not get staff to move here, then feed in to the the other costs associated with London life and you needed the weighting. This was hugely successful and London schools, in some of the poorest areas, are now some of the best in the country through targeted action and intervention. A solid plan which was working to bring standards up across the board. The only real issue is staffing as you need people to want to feel that moving to a shithole was worth it for tehm professionally/personally, which will naturally lead to some disparities.

 

This obviously angried up the perpetually angry, so the tories scrapped it and brought in a 'leveled playing field' agenda which looks to give an equal amount to pupils, with a little contextual data. Think of the old colonialist using rulers to section up Africa and you're looking at the methodology of this. 

 

Under thought out nonsense, again, which will affect the most disadvantaged the most.

 

The secondary problem with this is 'Pupils Premium' funding allowences. these are given to schools per pupil who is on free school meals. It's a fixed amount per pupil and the schools are free to decide how it's spent, though obviously they have to justify it.

 

What the Tories failed to tell everybody when they were talking about pumping money in to recovery is that it wasn't new money, they had juat taken the ability to use this freely and told schools that it is to be used for this 'catch up' process thus reducing significantly spending on disadvantaged pupils.

 

Tory gonna Tory.

 

 

Cheers for the explanations. 

 

Classes in entrepreneurship for the poor. Art, drama, languages and music for Tarquin and Tabatha. 
 

Are academies essentially privatised providers funded by the state instead of the LEA? 
 

I think Labour should get behind summer camps for kids where they can do activities that the standardised curriculum overlooks now.

 

And fuck fronted adverbials, Gove, you cunt! 
 

 

[Bruce Spanner]

1 minute ago, Kepler-186 said:

Are academies essentially privatised providers funded by the state instead of the LEA? 

 

It's complex as they're all different, but a 'sponsor' does have direct influence on the school, though they still have to follow the national curriculum and are subject to Ofsted*

 

They are not totally a bad thing as a lot of people go in with good intentions, but some are tax write downs and others indoctrination camps, it's all relative.

 

The problem is the funding models and the reforms which are worse than Goves, which were pathetic, these will really screw teachers, school and pupils over!

 

*Doesn't actually exist, but that a story for another time.

[Kepler-186]

On 02/07/2021 at 15:04, Bruce Spanner said:

 

It's complex as they're all different, but a 'sponsor' does have direct influence on the school, though they still have to follow the national curriculum and are subject to Ofsted*

 

They are not totally a bad thing as a lot of people go in with good intentions, but some are tax write downs and others indoctrination camps, it's all relative.

 

The problem is the funding models and the reforms which are worse than Goves, which were pathetic, these will really screw teachers, school and pupils over!

 

*Doesn't actually exist, but that a story for another time.

State of this, Frodo! She’s taken the little ones!
 

[Bruce Spanner]

37 minutes ago, Kepler-186 said:

State of this, Frodo! She’s taken the little ones!
 

She’s at a Free School, part of Gove’s toxic legacy.

 

Like Academies on steroids and free of full LEA involvement. If you can choose your pupils you can choose your success.
 

Tended to be opened by pointy elbowed bellends who thought they could do better than the existing structures, despite non of the expertise, surprisingly this wasn’t the success envisaged…

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2021/feb/09/michael-gove-free-schools-at-10-successful-policy-since-the-war-or-mistake

 

Loads were opened and closed within a few years at great expense to the exchequer, others were rebranded and taken into existing academy trusts.

 

Toby Young, the cunt, famously set one up which was a clusterfuck.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2016/dec/13/toby-young-free-school-trust-warwick-mansell

 

 

 

 

 

[Kepler-186]

13 minutes ago, Bruce Spanner said:

She’s at a Free School, part of Gove’s toxic legacy.

 

Like Academies on steroids and free of full LEA involvement. If you can choose your pupils you can choose your success.
 

Tended to be opened by pointy elbowed bellends who thought they could do better than the existing structures, despite non of the expertise, surprisingly this wasn’t the success envisaged…

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2021/feb/09/michael-gove-free-schools-at-10-successful-policy-since-the-war-or-mistake

 

Loads were opened and closed within a few years at great expense to the exchequer.

 

Toby Young, the cunt, famously set one up which was a clusterfuck.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2016/dec/13/toby-young-free-school-trust-warwick-mansell

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah she was trending under Mordor today. 
 

Same views as that Shaun Bailey saying get young lads into the Army Cadets to solve knife crime. 
 

Remember the Toby Young one. Punting at break time, advanced chav baiting after dinnertime. British History every day. 
 

Cunts. 
 

 

[Section_31]

Was funny as fuck the Tory reforms to education. Back in 2012 or so I toyed with doing a PGCE (the kids were definitely spared a crap teacher in hindsight) but was told in no uncertain terms I wasn't allowed to do one because I only had a third class degree.

 

Literally all the doors were closed, I was that annoyed that out of principle I went to see my MP (Labour) who agreed that someone with my work and life background might have something to offer, but a government minister wrote back (handwritten, which is virtually unheard of) basically saying I must be thick and it was 'widely known' that people with the best academic backgrounds made the best teachers.

 

Now, this was all well and good, but while having a third meant I couldn't become a teacher at a state school, with the other hat on they had no problem with me - or anyone with no qualifications at all for that matter - starting an actual school. 

 

There was loads springing up, fucking parish council car dealers starting their own schools in portacabins which were an absolute shit show, but getting endless amounts of government money thrown at them because they were politically too important to fail.

 

There was even this dubious flirtation with having ex squaddies teaching (but not graduates) because they'd be able to 'instill discipline'.

 

Years went by and I believe they reversed the thing about not taking people with thirds as I read that the number of science and maths teachers dropped off a cliff, because if you had a decent degree in science you'd probably be a scientist, rather than getting bunson burners thrown at you in a Peckham sixth form.

 

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

44 minutes ago, Kepler-186 said:

State of this, Frodo! She’s taken the little ones!
 

So, without rules a school becomes Lord of the Rings?

 

I assume she means that you don't study hard enough for your exams and then...

[Bruce Spanner]

8 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

Was funny as fuck the Tory reforms to education. Back in 2012 or so I toyed with doing a PGCE (the kids were definitely spared a crap teacher in hindsight) but was told in no uncertain terms I wasn't allowed to do one because I only had a third class degree.

 

Literally all the doors were closed, I was that annoyed that out of principle I went to see my MP (Labour) who agreed that someone with my work and life background might have something to offer, but a government minister wrote back (handwritten, which is virtually unheard of) basically saying I must be thick and it was 'widely known' that people with the best academic backgrounds made the best teachers.

 

Now, this was all well and good, but while having a third meant I couldn't become a teacher at a state school, with the other hat on they had no problem with me - or anyone with no qualifications at all for that matter - starting an actual school. 

 

There was loads springing up, fucking parish council car dealers starting their own schools in portacabins which were an absolute shit show, but getting endless amounts of government money thrown at them because they were politically too important to fail.

 

There was even this dubious flirtation with having ex squaddies teaching (but not graduates) because they'd be able to 'instill discipline'.

 

Years went by and I believe they reversed the thing about not taking people with thirds as I read that the number of science and maths teachers dropped off a cliff, because if you had a decent degree in science you'd probably be a scientist, rather than getting bunson burners thrown at you in a Peckham sixth form.

 

 

You’d have been a great teacher as long as grades, application, discipline and outcomes weren’t important and an in-depth knowledge of popular culture between 1978-2005 were the criteria for success.

 

Ever regret the Milian wankfest? 

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

Was funny as fuck the Tory reforms to education. Back in 2012 or so I toyed with doing a PGCE (the kids were definitely spared a crap teacher in hindsight) but was told in no uncertain terms I wasn't allowed to do one because I only had a third class degree.

 

Literally all the doors were closed, I was that annoyed that out of principle I went to see my MP (Labour) who agreed that someone with my work and life background might have something to offer, but a government minister wrote back (handwritten, which is virtually unheard of) basically saying I must be thick and it was 'widely known' that people with the best academic backgrounds made the best teachers.

 

Now, this was all well and good, but while having a third meant I couldn't become a teacher at a state school, with the other hat on they had no problem with me - or anyone with no qualifications at all for that matter - starting an actual school. 

 

There was loads springing up, fucking parish council car dealers starting their own schools in portacabins which were an absolute shit show, but getting endless amounts of government money thrown at them because they were politically too important to fail.

 

There was even this dubious flirtation with having ex squaddies teaching (but not graduates) because they'd be able to 'instill discipline'.

 

Years went by and I believe they reversed the thing about not taking people with thirds as I read that the number of science and maths teachers dropped off a cliff, because if you had a decent degree in science you'd probably be a scientist, rather than getting bunson burners thrown at you in a Peckham sixth form.

 

 

'No Income Tax,No VAT,

Can't even get a PGCE..