Scottish Parliamentary Elections May 2021

[Granny Danger]

10 minutes ago, SandyCromarty said:

To separate children on a religious basis is, in this day and age, wholly out of step in a modern forward looking society, it creates divisions at a young age and it can lead to biased opinions and in some cases dangerous.

For me all children should start out in education on a level basis free of religious persuasion.

Religion should be taught in Churches, Mosques and Synagogues etc

Yeah, no religion in schools.

[SandyCromarty]

11 hours ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

I think it’s all about parental choice here.

I certainly can say that in my area, the ethos in RC schools is good and many non catholics send their  kids to them.

As long as it doesn’t cost the state any extra in overlapping or transport costs I’ve no problem.

Likewise private schools. I sent my kids to a great fee paying school in Clackmannanshire and was really pleased with the result.

No cost to the state and, in fact, saving the state paying for my kids education.
We just did without some luxuries which other families had.

Win, win for the state.

I have grandkids at both feepaying and non-denominational schools and, sadly, there is no comparison especially during this Covid period.
Just wish Nicola would deliver on her pledge to put education at the top of her priority list.

Obviously your kids have left their private school which back then was registered as a charity and enjoyed zero business rates and tax rebates due to that charitable status.

However you would have seen quite an increase in your fees this year as last year the SG voted to impose non domestic tax rates on Scottish private schools, this means that in line with other businesses these schools will have to pay the 20% business rate.

And no doubt this is passed onto the parents, initially schools will employ accountants, at a cost, to dodge or reduce the bills but in the long term............................................................

[8MileBU]

12 hours ago, GordonS said:

LOOOK AT MEEEEEEE!!

FTFY

[Dawson Park Boy]

5 minutes ago, SandyCromarty said:

Obviously your kids have left their private school which back then was registered as a charity and enjoyed zero business rates and tax rebates due to that charitable status.

However you would have seen quite an increase in your fees this year as last year the SG voted to impose non domestic tax rates on Scottish private schools, this means that in line with other businesses these schools will have to pay the 20% business rate.

And no doubt this is passed onto the parents, initially schools will employ accountants, at a cost, to dodge or reduce the bills but in the long term............................................................

Yes, they lost their charitable status. You are correct.

I am no longer paying fees, thank goodness, but I think the effect of paying rates is not too great on the fees.

All a bit childish by the SG as the saving to the government is quite large as, otherwise, they would have to pay for all those kids.

Personally, I think the SG should be paying a subsidy to these schools to account for the savings.

As a general principle, I like the idea of a variety of schools whether religious, feepaying or whatever as long as the standards are high.

It just reinforces the freedom of the individual to chose something other than what the state decrees. Power to the people!!

[8MileBU]

13 hours ago, GordonS said:

The ethos partly comes from the religion and partly from the culture of Catholics in Scotland, with roots in the Irish migrants. In my experience Catholic schools in Scotland have a nurturing culture, encourage more collectivism and togetherness, are less internally competitive and have fewer cliques. 

Having claimed elsewhere you went to catholic schools, how can and why are you even drawing comparisons? 

[Dan Steele]

That's two large SNP signs mysteriously disappeared from Angus. One beside the Tesco car park in Forfar (don't think it was Tesco but they were upset about it facing their property) and the other from Pathhead stables area at Kirriemuir. 

[8MileBU]

24 minutes ago, The Skelpit Lug said:

That's two large SNP signs mysteriously disappeared from Angus. One beside the Tesco car park in Forfar (don't think it was Tesco but they were upset about it facing their property) and the other from Pathhead stables area at Kirriemuir. 

Chelsea fans.

[SandyCromarty]

2 hours ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Yes, they lost their charitable status. You are correct.

I am no longer paying fees, thank goodness, but I think the effect of paying rates is not too great on the fees.

All a bit childish by the SG as the saving to the government is quite large as, otherwise, they would have to pay for all those kids.

Personally, I think the SG should be paying a subsidy to these schools to account for the savings.

As a general principle, I like the idea of a variety of schools whether religious, feepaying or whatever as long as the standards are high.

It just reinforces the freedom of the individual to chose something other than what the state decrees. Power to the people!!

I remember reading when this came into last year that it so far didn't affect tax rebates, I might be wrong wrong though, but it was mentioned that one fee paying school in england got a tax rebate of £52 Million. As far as I know the english fee paying scholl are still zero business rates.

[ayrmad]

5 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

We all thought that in 2011 though. 

This is different, I can only go by those I speak to but none are committed to the SNP and one is now voting for Dross ffs.

[Donathan]

7 hours ago, BFTD said:

It's quite common. You hear it from the private healthcare crowd too.

Quite liked the sneering "we just didn't indulge in luxuries" bit, as though being on a high income isn't the important factor in the equation  

 

With private education I can see the argument one way or the other but with healthcare, it's absolutely in everyone's best interests that some people choose to go private.

 

NHS waiting times are bad enough as it is, but if no one went private then they'd be worse for everyone.

[Donathan]

What's the deal with the counting for this? I assume Covid has put paid to the traditional overnight count where constituency results start coming in shortly after midnight through to 6am, and the regional list results are known by Friday lunchtime?

[Salt n Vinegar]

3 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

It's irrelevant why they were introduced.

It's now 2021 and we shouldn't be force-feeding young children religion in this day and age.

Leave them alone until they are 16 years old and capable of making their own minds up from a balanced position of knowledge.

I didn't go to a a RC school (1960s and 70 s) and we did have religion rammed down our throats every day.  Morning "assembly".  "Assembly"? 2 hymns and the Lord's Prayer EVERY DAY.   I have no problem with teaching kids "about" religion.  I have problems with teaching kids that ANY religion is "true". 

[BFTD]

2 hours ago, Donathan said:

With private education I can see the argument one way or the other but with healthcare, it's absolutely in everyone's best interests that some people choose to go private.

NHS waiting times are bad enough as it is, but if no one went private then they'd be worse for everyone.

Yeah, you aren't the only poster lately to assume that it's impossible to properly fund public services.

1 hour ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

I didn't go to a a RC school (1960s and 70 s) and we did have religion rammed down our throats every day.  Morning "assembly".  "Assembly"? 2 hymns and the Lord's Prayer EVERY DAY.   I have no problem with teaching kids "about" religion.  I have problems with teaching kids that ANY religion is "true". 

Not sure about Scotland, but the law in England was that (IIRC) 25 minutes out of every day had to be spent on Christian indoctrination. Nobody really gave a f**k, so it was inevitable squeezed into a morning/afternoon assembly where you'd recite the Lord's Prayer and sing a couple of hymns.

There were always a couple of kids (of whom we were horrible jealous) of different religions in each class whose parents requested that they be excluded, so they had to sit in the classroom and kick their heels 'til the rest of us were done. The weird thing was how some teachers were deadly fucking serious about the whole thing, and would administer a bollocking if you didn't sing, or if they thought you weren't singing, or weren't thinking nice enough thoughts about Jesus, or something.

I could still probably recite word-for-word a couple of dozens hymns, despite only setting foot in a church maybe half a dozen times during the course of my life. The one good thing about all this shite was that I'd worked out that religion is a load of old pish by a very early age, so thanks for that, education system.

[Salt n Vinegar]

5 minutes ago, BFTD said:

Yeah, you aren't the only poster lately to assume that it's impossible to properly fund public services.

Not sure about Scotland, but the law in England was that (IIRC) 25 minutes out of every day had to be spent on Christian indoctrination. Nobody really gave a f**k, so it was inevitable squeezed into a morning/afternoon assembly where you'd recite the Lord's Prayer and sing a couple of hymns.

There were always a couple of kids (of whom we were horrible jealous) of different religions in each class whose parents requested that they be excluded, so they had to sit in the classroom and kick their heels 'til the rest of us were done. The weird thing was how some teachers were deadly fucking serious about the whole thing, and would administer a bollocking if you didn't sing, or if they thought you weren't singing, or weren't thinking nice enough thoughts about Jesus, or something.

I could still probably recite word-for-word a couple of dozens hymns, despite only setting foot in a church maybe half a dozen times during the course of my life. The one good thing about all this shite was that I'd worked out that religion is a load of old pish by a very early age, so thanks for that, education system.

That's the absolutely appalling aspect... Compulsory worship by primary and secondary pupils with the threat of in those days physical punishment for non-compliance. (Some seemingly religious teachers were particularly fond of the Lochgelly).   It's not altogether surprising. Our coins tell us that our heads of state hold office by the grace of a god and we reserve places in our legislature for people for no other reason than they believe in bronze age mythology.  Such a sensible selection criteria for those involved in the legislative process that only one other country in the world does it. That bastion of sanity, Iran. 

I'd love to be able to just ignore religion, but not only is it deep rooted in our system of government, I am taxed to pay for it as well. In Scotland, in the 21st century, the law requires the appointment of religious representatives on local authority Education-related committees and one church in particular has an effective veto on teaching appointments - on the grounds of religion. Never mind tax breaks for some education, abolish all tax relief, rates relief and any other form of state subsidy for religion - that WOULD be worth discussing!

[vikingTON]

8 hours ago, SandyCromarty said:

To separate children on a religious basis is, in this day and age, wholly out of step in a modern forward looking society, it creates divisions at a young age and it can lead to biased opinions and in some cases dangerous.

How Scots view their society before the 1918 Education Act:

[vikingTON]

2 hours ago, Donathan said:

What's the deal with the counting for this? I assume Covid has put paid to the traditional overnight count where constituency results start coming in shortly after midnight through to 6am, and the regional list results are known by Friday lunchtime?

Yes they confirmed that there won't be an overnight count. No idea when they'll likely complete though at least they don't have the council elections as well to make a royal c**t of it again. 

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

12 minutes ago, virginton said:

Yes they confirmed that there won't be an overnight count. No idea when they'll likely complete though at least they don't have the council elections as well to make a royal c**t of it again. 

They are going to count on Friday during the day and then continue on Saturday.

I think most of the counting is done by machine and they only handcount to verify totals or double check rejected ballots.

[Gordon EF]

I don't really like the idea or consequences of private education but it's pretty illiberal to support getting rid of it. Absolutely shouldn't be able to welch out of paying tax as a charity though.

I'm a big supporter of no religious affiliation in state schools whatsoever though. If you want religion in your school, fair enough, but no state funding.

[Scorge]

35 minutes ago, Jim McLean's Ghost said:

They are going to count on Friday during the day and then continue on Saturday.

I think most of the counting is done by machine and they only handcount to verify totals or double check rejected ballots.

Nope, it's a manual hand count for both papers. Confirmed Friday into Saturday count up here.

[Granny Danger]

12 minutes ago, Gordon EF said:

I don't really like the idea or consequences of private education but it's pretty illiberal to support getting rid of it. Absolutely shouldn't be able to welch out of paying tax as a charity though.

I'm a big supporter of no religious affiliation in state schools whatsoever though. If you want religion in your school, fair enough, but no state funding.

Want people to take funding for state education seriously?  Abolish private schools.