Friday 16 April 2010

What School did you go to?

I’m not going to discuss last nights debate by the “Three Stooges”. Rather Class and Education.


The above Photo is an achive but have things really changed?
One of the interesting parallels of this election with 1997 was how the media moved to supporting a public school Oxbridge graduate (Blair) as opposed to the then Prime Minister (Major). Now it’s Cameron as opposed to Brown who is seen by the majority of political commentators (who are mainly from Public school-Oxbridge). Who don’t see Major or Brown as one of us.

It is incredible that the late Alan Clark was seen as a loveable rogue instead of the racist bigot that he was. Or Boris John despite the fact that to mind he’s a buffoon gets elected London Mayor is seen endearing . Contrast this with that of John Prescott who is derided for his speech patterns by a snobbish elite who ignore how he overcome his poor education.

It is reported that research by the Sutton Trust charity underlines the extent to which a relatively tiny minority of schools control access to the world's best universities. That Pupils from just 100 elite schools dominate a third of places at Oxford and

Sixth-formers are twice as likely to get into Oxford and Cambridge if they attend top Public schools, irrespective of their A-level results, it is claimed. At the top five independent schools, including Westminster School which charges up to £24,300, an average of four in 10 pupils get into Oxbridge.

Just 100 schools, fewer than three per cent of the UK total, account for a third of places at Oxford and Cambridge, which select students based on exam results, entrance tests and interviews. They also have a "disproportionate" hold over at least 11 other institutions, including Durham, Edinburgh, the London School of Economics, St Andrews, Warwick and York, it is claimed

We must ask are these pupils more intelligent than State school pupils or are they simply benefiting from an early start in life. and it’s not just schools. How did Harry Windsor get it to the officer corps with just two average A level’s in Art and Geography.? At least he can colour in the maps.

The Interview system is designed to favour pupils from public schools and base thie assetment on  on what they see as confidence (and reflect thir own background)  and what you and I might call arrogance

These are the people who will  go on todominate our Banking, Civil Service and Political Parties as they always have.

If the Tories win the next General Election the major cabinet members will all be public school Oxbridge graduates. There will be a new Labour leader and he or she will also  likley be public school Oxbridge educates graduate. T his will mean all the major party leaders will belong to this elite. These people will have no idea of how the rest of us live.

They will not have to worry about how they child's education or healthcare or even their future. One of the reasons for my support for the welsh Assembly is that the AM’s are much more in tune with the rest of us.
I will no doubt be accused of class envy But it’s class justice I believe it’s time we acted on this and end this bias in our major Universities.

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