Student Riots

[BDunnell]

Read what I wrote, it is those who are NOT working that are the real drain on the nation and I'd like to see them bought to book.

Brought to book? How would you suggest doing this? Earlier, lest you or anyone else forget, you said that people should be made to pay larger sums if they fail to get a job after their degree, which is possibly the most absurd suggestion I've heard. Maybe you might like to come up with another one?

If there are lots of unemployed psychology post grads then there are clearly too many - supply and demand and all that jazz.

As a right-winger, you presumably believe in utterly unrestricted personal freedom too, don't you? In which case, you should have no problem with people studying whatever it is they want to study.

[Bolton Midnight]

You didn't just say that did you?

So what are your thoughts on Grammar Schools then?

Tried and tested and work, we are not all the same, you can not have a one size fits all education system.

[ioan]

On everything else you say here, I agree, with this one exception. I actually think Bolton Midnight has a point when he mentions the notion of 50 per cent of the British population in effect being told that they will go to university. This, after all, was the Labour government's misguided target. That's fine if 50 per cent of the population were genuinely of, shall we say, university quality, but they aren't — in any sense other than getting the grades they need. I don't think 50 per cent of Britons are at that level, no matter what the rising A-level results might say. This used to just be accepted. Now my view is generally regarded as snobbish. If so, I'm fine with that.

In defending the tuition fees rise, the Government has gone on and on about the notion of 'social mobility', and how the university system has, in the past, 'failed' students from poorer backgrounds. What we now see are efforts to even out educational inequalities when students reach 18. This is simply wrong.

I agree that 50% of people being promised a Uni degree is wrong.
I see it myself more like 20%, however I defend the right of everyone to try and see if they can make it.
All that is needed is for the examinations to be done seriously and those who fail them being told to try another path in life.
Talent and not money should make the difference.

[BDunnell]

The students were told where to march yet they decided to go elsewhere

People not wishing to take orders from the authorities in a protest? Whatever next?

[BDunnell]

I agree that 50% of people being promised a Uni degree is wrong.
I see it myself more like 20%, however I defend the right of everyone to try and see if they can make it.
All that is needed is for the examinations to be done seriously and those who fail them being told to try another path in life.
Talent and not money should make the difference.

Again, I agree wholeheartedly.

[ShiftingGears]

Art is art, it shouldn't have a due date. Now if it was medicine of engineering I wouldn't defend it, however creating work of art on a time line basis is not right IMO.

That is an interesting view - but what is art and what is not? I don't really think essays fall into that category, as they tend to be more an analysis of coursework, whereas a creative composition such as a narrative, a painting or a piece of music is clearly a work of art.

[Caroline]

We actually need children for the human race to carry on. Appreciate that may seem like a small consideration compared with you losing 5p a year. But having kids is why we are actually here on this wonderful planet.

If it wasn't for the smokers you'd actually be paying more taxes not less, approx £500 per year smokers save you, you should thank them.

The war was illegal, best bring that up with the Labour supporters within here.

Sorry to introduce facts but Wales / Scotland are not affected by the recent vote.

If they are put off then they clearly were not committed in the first place so probably for the best they stayed at home. Can't see this affecting the traditional professions in the slightest, in fact I think it'll have the opposite effect a bit more vocational degrees and a lot less social studies, humanities rubbish.

I was being sarcastic. I thought that my misguided comments might make someone see how ridiculous some posts have been in this thread.

I am aware about Education in Wales, thank you.

[Bolton Midnight]

I find the relaxed nature of some arts degrees quite perplexing - I know people who've handed essays in over a month late and still get distinctions. I don't find that to be setting people up for life at all, handing something in so preposterously late and getting more than zero for it. It's an amusing comparison to my degree.

Sounds an ideal preparation for a job within the public sector to me.

As they have a monopoly they can be and are as useless as they like.

[BDunnell]

So what are your thoughts on Grammar Schools then?

Tried and tested and work, we are not all the same, you can not have a one size fits all education system.

Comprehensives can also be fine. I went to a comp and I've done OK for myself. You apparently went to a leading public school (one which you still refuse to name, I note — was it Hogwarts?) and yet your command of the English language is decidedly sub-standard and your opinions half-baked.

[J4MIE]

I think if you put yourself in that situation then surely you must know what may possibly happen. At the end of the day if the Police hadn't taken control of the situation it would have got far worse. I don't see any way this sort of situation could be resolved without people getting hurt.

I don't think that's entirely the case. Whilst I would be peaceful at all times (as anyonw who knows me would agree with) I would not be expecting to get whacked with a baton whilst lying on the ground, or to be charged by a pack of horses. I don't like horses at the best of times and am scared just looking at police horses anyway.