Public School - Who goes

[Mick Mac]

We have 3 children, two are girls and one, the youngest, is a boy. We could only afford to send one to public fee paying school. Who should go. I'm having this debate with my wife at the moment. I think the boy, as he will, on balance of probabilities be in a career the longest. Anyone agree or disagree?

[LegalEagle-ish]

Are you trying to get a rise out of us?

[*Bob*]

All or none.

Otherwise you're asking for trouble.

[antijen]

Couldnt imagine making a decision about schools on whether boy or girl, maybe your son would like to go to school with his sisters, or are you taking the mick Mick.

[KalamityKel]

"I think the boy, as he will, on balance of probabilities be in a career the longest." Meaning what exactly?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

In her excellent analysis on that other thread RosieH posted this:

"Some women choose a career over children. Some women choose children over a career. Some women choose to have both. And it's our right to choose"....so assuming she is right (it makes sense to me) then you and your Young Lady will have to decide the percentage call on which way she will choose.

As far as I know, the Boy will have little "comparitve" choice, the keyword imo being "comparitive"...its extremely rare for a Boy to choose anything other than a Career.

This may influence your decision.

[LegalEagle-ish]

He expects his girls to end up barefoot, pregnant and chained to the kitchen sink so why waste his hard-earned!

[KalamityKel]

Who says that just by attending public schooling you're going to end up with a career? Seems a rather big gamble to take

[*Bob*]

Tony.London Suburbs Wrote:

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> As far as I know, the Boy will have little

> "comparitve" choice, the keyword imo being

> "comparitive"...its extremely rare for a Boy to

> choose anything other than a Career.

> This may influence your decision.

They might choose to have a life of their own choosing, as opposed to having the weight of expectation fall upon their shoulders on account of receiving entirely special - not to mention expensive - treatment to that of their siblings.

[ruffers]

None of them, spend the money down the pub.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

In general an education at a Public School will give you a much better chance of academic qualifications.

This,in turn,can only assist the opportunities and passage into a career.

Its "perceived" by most Employers that an individual will have greatly benefitted from a Public School education, thus they will, "in general", view more favourably an application from a former Public School pupil, if all other things are, roughly, equal.

[KalamityKel]

Have to agree with ruffers... no really I do...

I had to work with a group of cambridge students the other night... no brains there at all... it's all a waste I tell ya!

[KalamityKel]

Tony my dear I didnt have the choice of private schooling and I did pretty well for myself - got though GCSEs with fairly respectable marks, I went on to sixth form and then University. Now I have other qualifications that cancel out school grades on a CV :p

[Tony.London Suburbs]

KalamityKel Wrote:

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> Have to agree with ruffers... no really I do...

>

> I had to work with a group of cambridge students

> the other night... no brains there at all... it's

> all a waste I tell ya!

Yeah! but you're one of those smarty pants inter-lec-tools though ain't yer Kel so most would intellectually pale into significance alongside you;-)

p.s. Wot U doing 'bout my bleedin' drains Babe?:X:))

[Tony.London Suburbs]

KalamityKel Wrote:

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> Tony my dear I didnt have the choice of private

> schooling and I did pretty well for myself - got

> though GCSEs with fairly respectable marks, I went

> on to sixth form and then University. Now I have

> other qualifications that cancel out school grades

> on a CV :p

Of course my beloved...I came from one of the roughest estates in Europe and made it to Grammar School onwards (or should that be "downwards":) but there's no doubt that most will benefit from a superior Headucation than we received.

Don't mean we can't make it but its harder yougetme, innit? !

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Sadly for me, she who must be obeyed has ordered me off my Computer now otherwise I don't get my sweeties later so I'll see ya laterB)

[KalamityKel]

Then the answer is simple... don't send any of the kids to private school. Let them all have an equal footing in life :))

[RosieH]

Mick, you're hilarious.

[Narnia]

Mick, this reminds of a old movie with Meryl Streep I think! Which one do I leave behind? I came from a large family and I was the 6th boy. By the time my education was an issue my folks had spent all their money on the other ones. Four went to boarding school; results were as follows

One became the most qualified engineer specialising in pollution in the country and decided on to teach instead of making a fortune

Two eventually went bankrupt

Three became a hippy

Four, sadly died while still at school

There is no answer to your question. See how you 'feel' and leave logic at the door!

[woofmarkthedog]

All of them.......now get of your a**e and work harder so you can pay....

*cracks whip*

[mightyroar]

it's true this seems like a set up.

especially that rubbish about the boy being in a career the longest.

although there was an article in the family section of the saturday guardian about this very thing a few weeks ago.

If you have that money 'spare' why not spend it on a fab holiday every year for the whole family? or let them each choose an expensive and time consuming hobby and spend it on that?

Or save it so they can all go on to university (if they want) and not have to work in a call centre/bar/strip club to pay their rent while they do it?

[woofmarkthedog]

To what advantage creating a 2 tier system in your household ?

Have you read "freakonomics" There is a good section on such education, worth a read at this point.

ISBN 0-141-01901-8

[RosieH]

If you're prepared to make two of your children feel like second class citizens then go for it. My two brothers and I went to public school. My sister, then aged 10, chose not to. 30 years later she's still deeply resentful and makes sure my parents know about it.

As mightyroar says, your money would be better put to use doing good stuff together as a family (some of it could even be educational if you were so inclined).

But if you do decide to choose one, go for the boy - he'll need the extra help as girls outperform boys in education.

[Asset]

If you're serious mick then why not choose the child on its individual merits rather than its gender, i.e. send the brightest one to public school and let the thickies rot in a state school with all the rest of the thickie plebs.

[Narnia]

Mick, confess............this is a wind-up!