DaveR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Re this, perhaps a Freudian slip - "defending > private schools..". If the debate is about > private schools in general (and many of the posts > on this thread have ranged far wider than the > issue of charitable status) then general politics > and social background are inevitably relevant. > Even the charitable status argument is essentially > political - how many of those arguing in favour of > public schools losing their charitable status are > also having a pop at the RSPCA for wasting so much > cash on ill-advised hunting prosecutions? > Everybody has their own idea of what charity > means; charity law has to be a little more certain > and specific. It's not a Freudian slip, I deliberately put it in inverted commas and said 'if that is the right phrase', because I actually don't think anyone is attacking private schools. However, there are individuals who are being defensive of private schooling generally, which is why I stated it in the qualified terms I did. General background may shape one's perspective on a topic, but it doesn't change the quality or otherwise of their arguments - calling people names - lefty (used as a pejorative), 'chip on your shoulder', 'Jealous Guardianista' etc. is not engaging with an argument, but mocking an individual.