Even in the middle of an international sporting festival, where nothing but raw talent should count, you can't get away from the British class system.Because, obviously, those who went to fee-paying schools must not have any of that ‘raw talent’. They must have got where they are through privilege alone…
The preferred explanation for the over-representation of fee-charging schools among elite sports players is the same as that advanced for the dominance of such schools in Westminster politics, Whitehall, the judiciary, medicine, senior media positions and so on. State school teachers are in thrall to egalitarian ideology and therefore discourage talented children from aspiring to the top, whether in sport, academic work or career ambition. All would be well if we could bring state schools up to private school standards.Well, there’s certainly a fair bit of that about, it can’t be denied. And if we could get rid of the ‘all must have prizes’ nonsense it’d help, but it still wouldn’t be enough.
You see, for a start, there’s that sell-off of playing fields, as even Wilby has to admit to:
We can attribute some of the declining success of state school alumni to the sale of playing fields and to teachers' greater reluctance to supervise out-of-hours sport, partly because of changes in their contracts, partly because of increased pressure to meet academic targets.Odd. Is he saying that teachers at fee-paying schools don’t feel any of that pressure?
Even pop music is now, according to one recent analysis of the Top 40, dominated by the products of private education.Umm…
We should be thankful that football, for all its faults, still gives children from less affluent homes a chance of success.Yes, they can seek to emulate these sterling examples of the noble sport, can’t they?
Wilby isn't the only one peddling this nonsense, as MacHeath points out.
17 comments:
There's a classic anthem to go with that wine'n'cheeze:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlnl3CGG56M
And none of these arseholes have even MENTIONED who it was that sold off all the Government school playing fields/"Sports"-grounds?
Or would that REALLY put a damp squib on their party mood?
Have a look at this one.
John
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9856049.Poor_turnout_for_job_forum/
Thanks for the link!
It's not all about the facilities; a large comprehensive near here has an excellent athletics field and running track - in fact the local independent schools hire it for their sports competitions as they have nothing comparable.
What it does not have is pupils willing to stay after lessons to practise even when staff are available; while local football teams manage to run after-school sessions, most other sports have drawn a blank - the local shopping mall exerts a far stronger attraction, at least when peer pressure is taken into account.
In independent schools, the peer pressure is far more likely to involve participation in after-school sports, hence the difference in sporting culture.
Unfortunately, just as in matters academic, the idea of critical mass dragging down potential high-achievers in the state system is so heretical in Guardian circles that I doubt Wilby and his like will ever understand.
When you have a state education system where failure is accepted and mediocrity is expected, is it any wonder that children from more affluent backgrounds attending independent schools attain high honours in sport?
When I lived in the UK
I was a member of a local gym and it always used to amaze me the number of youngsters of school leaving age who attended the gym (at 30 pounds per month)yet, by the look of them, appeared to be very unfit.
"There's a classic anthem to go with that wine'n'cheeze:"
:D
"And none of these arseholes have even MENTIONED who it was that sold off all the Government school playing fields/"Sports"-grounds?"
Oh, I think the Conservative councils were just as guilty of that...
"What it does not have is pupils willing to stay after lessons to practise even when staff are available..."
Got it in one! This type of peer pressure is one schools should be looking to squelch.
"Have a look at this one."
Hmmm, indeed! "He said: “Sometimes, with that type of young person, the reason why they are Neet is they haven’t made it to interviews, or things like that.”"
Who'd employ someone like that? Not me!
"... the number of youngsters of school leaving age who attended the gym (at 30 pounds per month)yet, by the look of them, appeared to be very unfit."
How do they manage that? *baffled*
XX How do they manage that? *baffled* XX
Because you need something like five hours of INTENSIVE weight training to work off one Mc dogs burger and chips with cola.
So what went wrong with 'Dave 'n' George', two of the most talentless twerps ever to run this country?
David Duff appears to have selective memory syndrome. Whilst Dave 'n' George may appear incompetent, Gordon was the epitome of incompetence.
It's not easy cleaining up another's shit
The gloating tone of some of these comments is offensive. Not all state school kids are obese no-marks. We all know the English state system isn't fit for purpose, but does anyone really think that the dominance of private school alumni in the medal winners' table is a cause for celebration or smug satisfaction? To me it's a sad reflection of "modern" Britain - there are plenty of kids in the state system who would love to be given the encouragement and opportunity to succeed. In the long run
holding them back, for whatever reason, will benefit nobody.
XX there are plenty of kids in the state system who would love to be given the encouragement and opportunity to succeed. Xx
Aye. Lifes a real bitch, hey?
Your comments are only semi-literate, Furor, so I won't "put a damp squib on" your enjoyment.
Tomfiglio, the only thing that denies state-schooled children their success is the ludicrous notion that competition is somehow "bad", that all must win prizes just in case Tyrone or Ledasha feel inadequate. Well, you know what? Some kids will be inadequate because their obese no mark parents can't be arsed to give them any proper encouragement or at the very least view parenting as the responisbility of the state rather than their own.
Tomfiglio: 'there are plenty of kids in the state system who would love to be given the encouragement and opportunity to succeed.'
True - and it applies to both sporting and academic aspirations.
Once upon a time, children with marked potential would almost certainly be noticed and encouraged by teachers, who might lend them books and offer them extra coaching or even take them on outings to museums or the theatre - it was just such encouragement that led to both my parents becoming the first in their respective families to go to university.
These days, teachers take a grave professional risk simply by being alone in a room with a pupil; two recent cases have involved teachers being sacked for giving a pupil a lift home after dark - even though the pupils and their families made no complaint or objection - simply because they breached Child Protection guidelines.
In this climate, no teacher can afford to risk singling out a pupil for attention; since the atmosphere of the average classroom leaves little scope for encouraging high achievers, a generation loses out. In sport, the effect is even more marked because of the physical nature of the activity - teachers have learnt to keep their distance.
Nothing wrong with my memory, Henry ... er ... whatever your name is, I was merely trying to make the point that the two twerps I referred to were in receipt of the most expensive education money can buy. They do not "appear" incompetent, they demonstrably are! Suggesting that 'ur wee Gordie' was even more incompetent is hardly a defence.
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