http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_an...icle3840412.ece


"Parents who cheat at school
It's accepted that parents fiddle the system to get their children into the right school. But is it correct?

This is one mother's entry from a recent chat forum: “Yes, I would lie to get my child into a good school. I don't really care what people I don't know might think of me, to be honest! My daughter comes first and I know that ten years down the line I wouldn't look back and say, oh, I shouldn't have lied, etc. I would look back and think I did the best for my child.”

This mother is not an isolated case. According to a recent Local Government Association report, more councils are identifying cheating parents. Out of 31 councils surveyed, 24 reported a rise in cheats. In Richmond upon Thames, cases detected in 2007-08 rose from 5 to 50. And these cases are just the tip of the iceberg.

Parents are defrauding the system and other parents in huge numbers in the scramble for places at the better schools. This week they will find out if they have prospered as primary school allo- cation letters for half a million three and four-year-olds come through the letter box.

And while the false address scams and the “I believe” church conversions are not new, their use is becoming so accepted that some parents even boast of their prowess at the school gates. And in a system that is inherently flawed, some are now saying that they are proud to do the best for their child. "

i'm pretty sure that if i had a child that i would lie to get him/her into a good school. im one of the people who would rather die than go to community college, and would want my child to have the best education that he/she could get.

I want my child to have the best education she can get .. i wouldn't lie, though.

I am so glad I don't have kids. Anythat that I know of lol. I truely hate a lier.

come on wolf.. kids are great !

Ok kids are great. I love my neices. But glad I never had any.

I'd probably lie too. I hate liars, but, to be honest, you are nothing without a good education. You can't get a decent job or anything. . .so, in order to get my son the best possible. . .yeah, I'd probably suck it up and lie. I'd rather he be able to get into a good school by himself, but if it came down to it. .. I mean, it shouldn't be so hard to get your child a good education in the first place. Good schools should be commonplace, not something that you have to weasle your way in to.

i'm sure you'll change your mind once you have some of your own . hugs to your neices

Not planning on having any at my age

If you're not cheating, you aren't trying hard enough.


Unfortunately school systems can be just as full of political crap as any other type of forum. Schools in the ghetto are going to inherently be worse than private schools or schools in better areas. So, is lying about an address (using a relative's address for example) to get your child into a better school such a horrible thing? As far as your son being able to get into a good school by himself, how much impact does a five year old really have on where they start going to kindergarten?

GAH!
This just seems like parents are fobbing off their responsibility completely to schools!
A school can only do so much, but there are things ONLY a parent can do to supplement their child's education.
Even if my kid went to a public school, I would help em out with homework cos that's what a parent should do!

As right as you are, schools can afford to spend more on books, visual aids, guest speakers, field trips, etc. than can the parent. Certain schools are allocated more money than others. Schools spend their money differently. While some schools actually spend the money on teaching their students, others prefer to spend the money on teacher's bonuses, nicer teacher break rooms, and a newer coffee maker. So, some schools are better than others. Period.

While a lot of parents do shrug off the responsibilities of teaching their children, trying to get their child into a "better" school doesn't necessarily represent that...