Britain’s ‘strictest head mistress’ railed against free school breakfasts and the internet replied as one
Over on Newsnight they’ve been talking about the Labour Party policy of solving the problem of kids going hungry in the morning by giving everyone a free school breakfast.
Sounds like a good idea to us.
But it doesn’t sound like a good idea to Katharine Birbalsingh, who found fame a little while ago as Britain’s ‘strictest head mistress’ or something similar.
Here’s what she had to say about the issue on Newsnight (the look on the face of fellow panellist, journalist Liam Thorpe, is instructive).
“Why would you want to spend the money giving wealthy children free breakfast?”
Headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh asks what is Labour’s thinking around free school meals and whether the policies have been thought through#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/7qNh7qzali
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) June 13, 2024
And the internet replied as one. Not all of it, just the right-thinking bit.
1.
It’s really fucking obvious. It’s so kids don’t think “those are the poor kids and those are the rich kids”. It makes perfect sense, it’s not very expensive and STOP MAKING REACTIONARIES FAMOUS! https://t.co/teNkm2wRSI
— Sooz Kempner (@SoozUK) June 14, 2024
2.
Because at some schools they’d make the kids on free school dinners go in a separate queue , call their names out at register. In old days when I was at primary school – if there was left over pudding – kids on free school dinners weren’t allowed ‘seconds’. https://t.co/1ocUYvfKVc
— terry christian (@terrychristian) June 14, 2024
3.
Birbalsingh is one of the most stupid motherfuckers in the UK and our media should stop giving her the fucking megaphone.
Means testing school meals is more expensive and time consuming in the long run, and isolates and marginalised the kids who have them. Feed the fucking kids. https://t.co/Da3BZUKINV
— PS1 Boss Nass (@ps1bossnass) June 14, 2024
4.
Isn’t it for the same reason that you don’t let Muslims pray in the playground? To minimise division & distinction among all the children in the school environment as much as possible. https://t.co/FsPO4nt6zr
— James O’Brien (@mrjamesob) June 14, 2024
5.
Amy ‘normal’ headteacher would jump at this chance to give all children a great start to the day.
To take a contrarian position simply underlines her ‘me, me, me look at me’
attitude to the job.
It’s not about self aggrandisement, it’s about the students in your care.
Shameful. https://t.co/A2e94IfSzq— Simon Gosden. Esq. #fbpe 3.5% ☠️ (@g_gosden) June 14, 2024
6.
This is *always* the narrative of the right. They make an argument about the rich benefitting while trying to prevent help for the poorest. I would rather a rich person got help they didn’t need than a poor person who needed help didn’t get it. https://t.co/FxRY0ZAaDX
— Mike Holden (@MikeHolden42) June 13, 2024
7.
Because doing so will allow poor children not feel different. Do we really have to spell this out? No empathy whatsoever, especially for the disadvantaged child… https://t.co/XwR0FgoDWP
— Tom Doorley (@tomdoorley) June 13, 2024
And finally …
Why give free healthcare to the rich? Why give free pensions to the rich? It’s a universal benefit for all children. This isn’t about the parents wealth.
— Gareth Roberts (@drgarethroberts) June 13, 2024
And also.
I have listened carefully to what Katherine Birbalsingh is saying on #newsnight and I can confirm that it is complete gibberish
— dave ❄️ (@mrdavemacleod) June 13, 2024
Source @BBCNewsnight