Memorandum from Margaret Fawcett (DCH
28)
CHARITABLE STATUS
FOR INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS
The historical charitable endowments provided
by benefactors to educate children, often poor children, haye
now been incorporated into large education "businesses"
catering to the already privileged in the majority of cases. The
bursaries offered by certain private schools are dependent on
entry requirements and cannot be regarded as charitable if charitable
is defined as "public benefit". Any extra-curricular
activities by the private schools for the "general good",
thereby supposedly qualifying as for "charitable purposes"
are equally made by the staff, parents and pupils of State schools
voluntarily for charities of interest to the children, in addition
to raising money for school funds. I understand that an estimated
£120 million in tax relief goes to Independent schools under
the guise of charitable status and as a taxpayer I do not want
to subscribe to this system which promotes and sustains inequalities
in our society.
As a long-standing member of Amnesty International
which I joined out of compassion and a desire for a more just
and fair society, that is, for the "general good" I
would urge that the definition of charity should surely be applied
for this organisation.
June 2004
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