UK: Two-thirds of Boris Johnson's cabinet went to private schools

Because that is where the talent is

Nearly two-thirds of prime minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet were privately educated, according to research.

The proportion of ministers who went to independent schools is twice as high as Theresa May’s 2016 cabinet, at 64% compared to 30% according to the social mobility charity Sutton Trust. In David Cameron’s 2015 cabinet, the rate was 50%.

The figures mean that ministers in the prime minister’s cabinet are nine times more likely to have attended a fee-paying school for all or part of their secondary education than the general population, of which only 7% went to private schools.

The chancellor, Sajid Javid, the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, the home secretary, Priti Patel, and the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, are among the ministers who went to state schools.

Among those who attended fee-paying schools are the Brexit minister, Stephen Barclay, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, and the work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, who went to Cheltenham Ladies’ College.

Of the 33 ministers who make up Johnson’s new cabinet, 45% went to either Oxford or Cambridge university, while a further 24% attended Russell Group universities. Of all MPs in the House of Commons, 24% attended Oxford or Cambridge.

Johnson went to Eton college, and like every prime minister since 1937 who had attended university, except Gordon Brown, studied at Oxford.

Past cabinets have been more privately educated than Johnson’s though – the proportion in John Major’s 1992 cabinet was 71%, while 91% of Margaret Thatcher’s 1979 cabinet had been to a fee-paying school.

Last month, a report from the charity found that 29% of current MPs came from private schools. Just under half (45%) of the Conservative party MPs were privately educated, compared with 15% of the Labour party.

On Wednesday, Johnson conducted a brutal cull of Theresa May’s cabinet hours after officially becoming prime minister, sacking more than half of May’s ministers and packing the team with Vote Leave veterans and rightwing free marketers.

Though Johnson’s ethnically-diverse cabinet has been described as “a cabinet to represent modern Britain”, questions have been raised over whether it is truly representative of the nation.

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Another Bogus Study on 'Racist' School Discipline

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights falsely denies a different rate of misbehavior among races.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recently presented a report alleging that black public-school students are disciplined at a higher frequency and receive more severe punishments than do white public-school students. The report then makes the dubious claim that the rate of misbehavior by black students is no different than that of white students. In other words, the commission report implies that schools and, by extension, teachers and administrators, are discriminating against black students. But are they?

This is a prime example of the “disparate impact” theory at work, which is what the Obama administration applied when ordering that schools discipline black students at the exact same rate as white students. Rather than evaluating behavioral standards, which all students are expected to comply with — an actual equitable system wherein the same exact rules apply to all students irrespective of their race — those complaining about disparate impact advocate that different standards be applied to different racial groups so as to artificially produce equality of outcome, rather than focusing on producing equality of opportunity.

The fact of the matter is that rate of misbehavior among black students is higher than among white students. But note that the rate of misbehavior among white students is higher than that of Asian American students. It would be wrong to conclude from this one statistical analysis, as the commission does, that the reason for the disparity must be a system that is inherently racist against black students.

As Gail L. Heriot, law professor at the University of San Diego Law School, observes, “In 2015, 12.6% of African American students reported being in a fight on school property, as contrasted with 5.6% of white students. Put differently, the African American rate was 125% higher than the white rate.” Heriot further notes that, sadly and ironically, the ultimate victims of the policies meant to “correct” disparate impact are the very minority groups they are supposedly seeking to help. The pretense “certainly does not benefit minority children,” she writes. “To the contrary, they are its greatest victims. African American students disproportionately go to school with other African American students. … If teachers fail to keep order in those classrooms out of fear that they will be accused of racism, it is these minority students who will suffer most.

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America is exceptional; education and training, is key to economy, jobs

This week, we focus on how education and training can make or break America’s ability to remain an exceptional country. Education and training, now more than ever, will be keys to our country’s economy and jobs.

Earlier in our nation’s history, more Americans could get by without as much education or training. Today we have fewer high-paying jobs for people who have less education or less training because many low education and low training jobs went to other countries where people earn less money. In addition, machines have replaced many jobs which used to provide a decent living.

What can we do about it? How can we win?

We will continue to be a prosperous country, but much of that prosperity will be with more sophisticated jobs. As President John F. Kennedy said, “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” We need educated, skilled citizens to attract more high-level jobs and opportunities to America.

How are we doing with education in America?

Don’t listen to those who claim that most people can’t get a good education in America. Unlike many other countries, every student in the United States can attend at least twelve years of school for free. It’s okay to debate the quality of our schools and to want them to be better, but much of our academic achievement is what we decide to make of it as students. About 9 out of 10 adults have at least a high school diploma or GED, and well over half of America’s high school graduates go to college.

Don’t buy into people’s statements that they can’t go to college or get advanced training. Every American who does well in high school has an opportunity to attend college or trade schools. People from all over the world want to study at America’s great universities. Yes, it’s easier financially for some people to go to college or get advanced training, but scholarships, assistance, or student loans are available.

The big question is whether Americans understand what will be needed to succeed in the future.

Some reports have ranked our grade schools in the middle among industrialized nations. Only about 30 percent of Americans attain a college degree. Many high school students fall short of college readiness. As Americans, we shouldn’t settle for being in the middle range.

We can turn it around. Amazing things can happen when people know how much better the country’s future can be with advanced learning. If we become better educated and trained, every good business around the globe will want to have operations in America, employing more and more Americans at higher and higher wages. American companies that need smart employees will want to grow here, rather than sending their jobs to other countries.

It doesn’t begin and end with jobs.

With more educated, smart, well-trained people, we can solve government problems, become better family members, and be better citizens. President Harry S. Truman said “Without a strong educational system, democracy is crippled. Knowledge is not only a key to power. It is the citadel of human freedom.” President Truman understood we can’t remain free and exceptional without the smarts to make good choices.

Imagine an America where nearly every young person is dedicated to learning and achieving. This kind of cultural focus on the common ground of education would move us along a path of improved quality of life, business, and government.

It can be done

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