Teacher who attacked student with a weight

Former Member

right, i didnt know what sort of discipline you think is lacking from public schools

Former Member

It's everything - it's the upbringing of the kids, and by that I don't mean how much money or state/private education, I mean how to behave, and respect for authority. It is the responsibility of aociety's adults to impress upon the young the norms of society conducive to the furtherment and improvement of society, including behaviour and discipline.

I'm not saying I agree with what Mr Harvey did by any means (though given the circumstances, it would have taken a more patient man than myself to have not done the same thing). However, I feel there is something fundamentally wrong when a child can act that way in front of a teacher without fear of punishment.

Former Member

i'm really confused. if it isn't a money thing then is it a class thing??

Former Member

I think its more about the standards and respect for authority that is as a rule still expected and given in private schools. Which somewhat contrasts the way society is heading with no respect for authority and in my opinion too much focus on young people getting their own way and their opinions and rights being respected.

I'm not saying children should be seen and not heard, but equally teachers, police officers, parents, should be figures of authority who should be respected. In private schools, be offensive towards a teacher and you are quickly removed from the classroom, sent to the head, punished and if bad behaviour is consistent then at risk of permanent exclusion. Parents support the staff and present a united front.

State schools seem to be subscribing to a 'pupil is always right' mentality and problems are laid at the feet of the staff, not the pupils.

Former Member

It's neither. Or at least it could be, but I'm not sure what it is. All I know is that the stuff that I hear about that goes on in some state schools, anecdotally from friends who are teachers and what I read in the newspapers would never be tolerated in the private sector. Perhaps it's the mindset, I don't know.

However what I do know is that if and when I do have kids, I'll do everything I can to educate them privately.

Former Member

clementine_the_tangerine wrote: »

i'm really confused. if it isn't a money thing then is it a class thing??

No, but it is a 'background' or 'cultural' thing. As SM said, respect for authority is still expected in private schools, so misbehaviour is easily dealt with with full parental backing. Private schools cost money, proving there is a certain relationship between money and class and behaviour. But money and class aren't everything. Remember, we only ever hear about the horror stories. Look at the thousands of children who succeed/excel in state schools. I'd be willing to bet that the thing they all have in common is parental support and guidance. They learn discipline and respect from adult role models who place great value on a good education.

Former Member

Want to get to the root of the problem?

Questions. From an early age children are taught now to question everything. Question your surroundings, question what you're being told.

I get it all the time.

"don't sent abusive messages to people on facebook"-"why shouldn't I?"

"pick up that mucky kebab and chips you've just dropped"-"why should I?"

"tax your car"-"why should I?"

"don't take what doesn't belong to you"-"I can do what i want, you can't tell me what to do"

and so on, and so on. It's getting beyond a fucking joke, rather than just accept responsibility for something you've done, why not blame someone else? Dealt with a girl who assaulted another a couple of months back, it wasn't her fault according to mum. It was the school's fault for not spotting it before it happened (what she actually said). It was also the other girl's fault for winding her up and "looking at her funny", again what she actually said.

GARGH!


As for private schools, I have kids arriving from private schools all the time, with extremely shady backgrounds and schools who are unwilling to tell us what their history is. You'll find a reason for the expulsion rate in private schools is so low is because a private school can just withdraw your place, it doesn't have to be official.

I've got lots of stories of so called "posh" kids who are just as bad, if not worse than the kids from the poorer areas.

Former Member

Remember, we only ever hear about the horror stories. Look at the thousands of children who succeed/excel in state schools. I'd be willing to bet that the thing they all have in common is parental support and guidance. They learn discipline and respect from adult role models who place great value on a good education.

agree with you on that. however maybe for some it's easier to look down on those yobs from council estates

Former Member

It's not questions that are the problem, it's people not getting answers. I think it's right to question everything, well behaved privately educated children get good answers, that is the difference. As do some state educated children, the ones who misbehave probably weren't given the right answers to their questions at the right time for their productive development but, we should never stop people/children from asking questions.