David Cameron, Tory Education Policy & Wikipedia

dbmzk1 · 3 Jun 2007 at 01:48

No one cares about his secondary education. I see no reason why it should be included in his introduction. It will not add anything worthwhile to the article. There is also in in-depth section dedicated to his education, including his time at Eton.

Wikipedia is not a place to preach your political views.

Shackley · 3 Jun 2007 at 08:52

dbmzk1 said:
No one cares about his secondary education. I see no reason why it should be included in his introduction. It will not add anything worthwhile to the article. There is also in in-depth section dedicated to his education, including his time at Eton.

Wikipedia is not a place to preach your political views.

It should be reserved for Conservative Central Office to spin then, should it?

PinkPig · 3 Jun 2007 at 08:56

Shackley said:
It should be reserved for Conservative Central Office to spin then, should it?

I'm sorry but what you think of the Conservative Party really is neither here nor there as far as Wikipedia is concerned. It's trying to be an Encyclopedia, not a democracy or an arbitary source of opinions, research and information.

Shackley · 3 Jun 2007 at 10:18

PinkPig said:
I'm sorry but what you think of the Conservative Party really is neither here nor there as far as Wikipedia is concerned. It's trying to be an Encyclopedia, not a democracy or an arbitary source of opinions, research and information.

You, along with others, rather seem to be missing the point. As you rightly observer, what I think of the Conservative Party really is neither here nor there as far as Wikipedia is concerned.

However, to suggest that Cameron's attendance at the most expensive, elite private school in the country is not significant in terms of his elitist and discriminatory ideas on the education of the masses is bizarre, dishonest or both. It has a great deal to do with his political viewpoint. It should be mentioned prominently by Wikipedia and probably would be if it weren't for the eternal vigilance of Conservative spin doctors trying to portray Cameron as a man in touch with the majority - he isn't.

Incidentally, what do you imply when you suggest that "Wikipedia is not a source of information." :confused:

fini · 3 Jun 2007 at 11:11

Going to a private school does not necessarily have any bearing on believing in elitist and discriminatory ideas in education. Even if it did, with Cameron backing current Grammar schools how can you come to this conclusion about him.

The biggest issue, as far as I see it, against having it in the introduction is that this only has the potential to affect one thing - his thoughts on education. Should there be in the introduction 'at age 6 a fireman swore at Cameron and made him cry' because it may affect his attitude towards funding for the fire service? It's one issue out of many and you're awarding it undue prominence.

Shackley · 3 Jun 2007 at 16:07

fini said:
. . . with Cameron backing current Grammar schools . . .

Has he done that? I certainly wasn't aware of that, can you point me to any reports that Cameron actually backs current Grammar schools rather than is keeping his mouth shut about them after David Willetts criticised them and said quite unequivocally that he was opposed to selection based on academic ability?

fini said:
The biggest issue, as far as I see it, against having it in the introduction is that this only has the potential to affect one thing - his thoughts on education.

That's it, is it? Other than his "thoughts on education" you are suggesting that going to Eton has had no effect at all on Cameron's attitude to life and the world are you?

Beansprout · 3 Jun 2007 at 16:12

Shackley said:
Has he done that? I certainly wasn't aware of that, can you point me to any reports that Cameron actually backs current Grammar schools rather than is keeping his mouth shut about them after David Willetts criticised them and said quite unequivocally that he was opposed to selection based on academic ability?

That's it, is it? Other than his "thoughts on education" you are suggesting that going to Eton has had no effect at all on Cameron's attitude to life and the world are you?

I still can't believe you think that it's a serious issue if something not-really-ever-mentioned-in-such-a-sentence isn't mentioned in the introductory sentence.....

fini · 3 Jun 2007 at 17:03

Shackley said:
Has he done that? I certainly wasn't aware of that, can you point me to any reports that Cameron actually backs current Grammar schools rather than is keeping his mouth shut about them

Guardian said:
In his reply, Mr Cameron thanked Mr Brady for his work, and said it had never been policy to undermine existing grammar schools, since the leadership "support them".

link

Shackley said:
Other than his "thoughts on education" you are suggesting that going to Eton has had no effect at all on Cameron's attitude to life and the world are you?

Why not list in the introduction that he was bullied at school (if he was) or that he once went on band camp (if he did) - these are just as irrelevant to put in the introduction as his schooling. I don't know quite what you think goes on in public schools, but people don't sit down all day making jokes about the 'peasants' and such. You seem to regard it as if it is a secret malicious society he used to be a member of.

divine` · 3 Jun 2007 at 17:15

Shackley said:
It has a great deal to do with his political viewpoint. It should be mentioned prominently by Wikipedia

Is over 300 words in the second section of the article after the intro and contents not prominent enough? :confused:

Shackley · 3 Jun 2007 at 17:59

divine_madness said:
Is over 300 words in the second section of the article after the intro and contents not prominent enough?

Not in my opinion, no, it is not prominent enough.

Inserting the nine words "went to school at Eton before going on to" between "He" and "read" at the beginning would do nicely. It seems far more relevant than the comment that one of his tutors thought him and "one of the ablest students he has taught" which is also repeated further down.

Posty · 3 Jun 2007 at 18:06

i think what you are trying to add is clogging up the intro even more than it is

Shackley · 3 Jun 2007 at 18:50

fini said:
Guardian said:

In his reply, Mr Cameron thanked Mr Brady for his work, and said it had never been policy to undermine existing grammar schools, since the leadership "support them".

Click to expand...

The Tory leader was infuriated when Mr Brady released figures suggesting overall educational standards were higher in areas with grammar schools. Guardian Link

Now why would Cameron be "infuriated" that Graham Brady, the Conservative shadow Europe minister had released information which appears to be accurate?

What can Dave (supportive of Grammar Schools) be trying to spin :confused:

fini · 3 Jun 2007 at 19:15

If you're so interested why don't you e-mail him and ask him?