Dear Sue and other friends interested,
I was a little disappointed to read that a distinction was made between workers' and peasant's children. I had idealistically hoped that yours was a classless society, but I guess all of us in this world have not yet matured enough to do away with all the various kinds of class systems.
Some people think money brings higher class, but I don't. Neither do I think in the English way, that some kind of "nobility" brings status.
Regarding peasants. These are really farmers. Farmers are the foundation of every society and are truly the most important level of all, because without food, none of us will live. And without well and properly grown food we won't thrive, either. It take much knowledge to be a competent farmer. Some day it will become imperative to recognize how desperately we need good farmers, and farmers will be given their proper honour and assistance.
When our children were in school I was always happy when the school population was drawn from a wide level of income and social behaviours. This gave our children the opportunity to know and relate to every kind of person. All of our children went through the Public School System. There are also some religious schools since the Roman Catholics have had their own schools by historical agreement. Due to this, some other religious schools have arisen, such as Seventh Day Adventist Schools, and a few others. These schools also receive tax dollars for each student. The same information is taught in these religious schools except that parents know that their children are also being taught their own version of religion. The children for these religious schools don't sort themselves according to class, but rather by religion, as I have said.
There are also a few other types of schools, such as Montessor schools and Waldorf schools. The last two have a different way of teaching that relies more heavily on the child's own creativity and ways of learning. These schools also must teach information that will allow their children to be able to pass the government examinations that make sure all schools are teaching children well and similar information.
Parents pay quite a lot to send their children to Montessori or Waldorf schools, and some of the other schools, and there may also be a little tax-payer support. I'm not sure. However, children from all kinds of families attend these schools. Sometimes parents who are having trouble with their children send them to such schools because they expect they may do better there, as classes will be smaller and they will get more attention, and learn better how to behave themselves in society, and to learn.
I know of a situation right now where the grandparents are working to send their grand-son to the Waldorf school because he has been mishandled by his unloving stepfather, and put on drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder to keep him quiet at home. They want to save the ten year old before it is too late for him, so the grandparents are bringing him into their home, and the grandmother is going back to work to help to pay the fees.
The place where class distinction can show itself here is in the private schools which have excellent university preparedness reputations. Some wealthy, or very rich people send their children to these schools. Some are schools for all girls, some for all boys. Some people think that boys and girls both learn better if not distracted by each other, or overshadowed by each other. I think that boys and girls should be educated together and have exactly the same education. Also that they should wear school uniforms, whether they are in the public school system;, or a private school. In the public school system uniforms are not worn, and many students dress improperly these days. ("improperly" meaning very sloppy or sexualized dressing, or gang-related dressing.)
At these elite private schools, to which anyone can go if they can pay for attendance, students get to know other students who eventually will probably be lawyers, politicians and other professionals. There is a network formed that will last into adulthood. My cousin went to one, and so is an "old boy" or a famous private school here. He was a boarding student and not a day student. His father was an immigrant to this country who made good, and became a multi-millionaire, so he could afford to send him. Especially since my aunt, the boy's mother died when he was ten, and the new stepmother when he was 14 was a woman who had never been married before, and didn't intend ever to have any children. So my cousin became a fairly prominent corporate lawyer in one of our larger cities. In private schools they are groomed more carefully to succeed in university, and sometimes the school is where their father also attended, so it becomes a family tradition to send their children there. Such is a way that elites are groomed....
As I see it, the difference between your Town Primary and the school for worker's children,and these elite Canadian private schools,and our public school system is this: taxpayers funds support the public school system, but not this elite private school system. Any child whose father is doing any kind of work can go to a private school, if the family can pay the fees. Therefore, the child of a successful enough farmer, could go.
I don't say that our system is the best. And there are debates about whether any religious schools should be supported by taxpayer's money, but I like it that at least any child can go if the fees can be afforded.
I would personally prefer that the public school system be the only one, and that the money saved go to universities and student loan assistance. I think that way would be the fairest of all. Probably there would need to be some public boarding schools, too then, for children like my cousin, who was sent away partly because his new stepmother wasn't inclined to raise a son. He had a sister who was close enough to university age that she didn't go to a private school, and went on to university with scholarships. However, the sister didn't use her education in any career. Such has been the lot of many intelligent women....
Warmly, Mary
