Dear Sir,
The article by Monitor in Wednesday's issue, acclaiming the introduction of comprehensive schools in the United Kingdom and decrying the privilege of public schools, I must say that the demise of the eleven plus and the potpourri of comprehensive schools removed standards and targets that have resulted in the present mess the British education system is in.
I personally took the eleven plus (at ten years so it happened) and had a choice of a number of grammar schools within a reasonable, travel-wise, distance from my home, and the selective, by exam, system to grade schoolchildren to grammar, secondary and secondary modern made sense.
Boys or girls of a like competence were following one curriculum as the last of the three groups catered more to those who would follow a tradesman's career, carpenter, electrician etc., all essential participants in society, who certainly did not need, nor want to take the academic road to O and A levels.
Children, by nature, know their pecking order and any form of competition should be encouraged as early as possible, as life in general is a competitive environment.
As far as public schools, fee paying entities, I have always felt people should be free to spend their money as they choose, and far from being privileged, I rather view these institutions as somewhere not too bright Royals and nobility can get their offspring through some type of qualifying education.
Yours sincerely
Heavyhanded Majorcan nationalism
Dear Sir,
The Bulletin is to be congratulated on its editorial stand against local government insistance on getting involved in where and when we spend our money. This government came to power after years of conservative misrule when construction and tourism reigned supreme.
Many people, including me saw the change as a welcome chance to readjust the balance of island life towards the concerns of the ordinary man in the street, more control over building, more respect for our enviroment, sustainable development of tourism, a greener cleaner Majorca.
Unfortunately the pendulum seems to have swung too far the other way.
Heavyhanded Majorcan nationalism combined with an almost soviet style obsession to control many aspects of citizens lives have certainly alienated me, and I suspect many others who had great hopes of this administration.
The euro has arrived, we are more european than ever before and we should be adopting the best europe has to offer whilst rejecting failed and outdated policies.
Free market socialism say I.