I Had Or Have To Wear A School Uniform

@MartinII If children's parents can't afford the uniform, the children are put in isolation until they can. When the isolation block is full, children are sent home until their parents have saved up enough to pay the "fees" - or starved to death, whichever occurs first. If they don't save up quickly enough, they're threatened with prosecution for not sending their children to school.

@Sharon: I think the funding of school uniform is a separate issue. And of course the problem of parents being unable to afford things applies much more widely - school meals, school trips, buying books or sports equipment, etc. For the avoidance of doubt, I certainly wouldn't approve of the kind of treatment you describe.

@MartinII What do you mean by "a separate issue"? Separate from what?

Primary and secondary education is supposed to be free at point of use. Parents should not be called upon to make any contribution whatsoever, it should all be funded from general taxation.

I believe tertiary education should be free too. An educated population is a benefit to society. Better educated people are able to earn more so society recoups the cost of their education through them paying more in tax.

@Sharon One issue is, is school uniform a good thing, in principle? I think it is, on balance, but there are good arguments on the other side, quite apart from the economic and social arguments you have advanced.

If the answer to the first question is yes, a second issue is how uniforms are to be paid for. A similar issue arises with other costs associated with education, such as sports equipment or musical instruments. I respect your opinion on that issue, though I hope you won't mind my saying that it is perhaps a little idealistic.

@MartinII I disagree with the view that school uniform is a good thing. Other European countries, without school uniforms, have far better educational standards. There, teachers concentrate on education rather than, as one comentator put it, worrying about what colour socks a student is wearing.

Why do you think my opinion on free education is idealistic? What about a free health service or a free fire and rescue service?

@Sharon Well, where do you stop? The state pays for basic teaching, uniform if there is one, meals - fair enough. But should it pay for a good cricket bat or violin for a budding cricketer or musician? All I'm saying is that it's a fine principle which can't necessarily be implemented in practice in all circumstances. And of course there's the perennial question, should things be free for everyone or only those who can't afford them.

Another analogy. I'm over 65, live in London and therefore get free public transport. Looked at in isolation, given that I'm pretty wealthy, that's absurd. But looked at in the round, there are good arguments for giving the benefit to everyone rather than means-testing.