The State of Bigotry in JKR's Homeland

[Ali]

 Lynn said:-

> > the private schools in that area will no longer accept bilingual 
children because they tend to bring down the test levels due to the 
language barrier.  This is done without testing to see if the child 
speaks and comprehends English in accordance with her grade level. 
It's just an automatic disqualification.  So, we've had to go out of 
the area to find a school who will accept her.<<

Petra Pan said:
 
>>> Hmm...I don't suppose, Lynn, you're moving to an area of England 
within commuting distance of where Ali's daughters go to school?  <g>
 
 The cynic in me also wonders if the rule for automatic 
isqualification at those schools in the name of 
 higher test levels is a cover for xenophobia.  After all, if the 
schools are truly concerned with their test levels being brought 
down, shouldn't they conduct *actual* investigations into a 
potential pupil's actual skill levels?<<<

Ali ponders:-

The lawyer in me wondered if it wasn't just xenophobia, but whether 
it amounted to discrimination, contrary to our Race Relations Act.

The idea of turning a child down because they happen to speak 
another language first, sounds ridiculous to me, and is certainly 
abhorrent. I would love my children to be bilingual.

There are some language problems in my kids' school, and I guess it 
does bring the "standards" down a bit - we don't by the way 
have "grades", kids automatically go up a level every year. However, 
I am conscious of the fact that my kids are learning about and 
understanding different cultures at first hand. I could send them to 
a school a mile up the road, and they would be in an almost totally 
WASP environment. They might end up doing slightly better at primary 
school, but they'd lack the cultural understanding - then they would 
go to the same secondary school anyway!

Ali