Sir, - Why all the soul-searching over the "under-achievement" of boys in the Leaving Certificate? Girls and women have always been disadvantaged by patriarchal powers. How many women sacrificed their intelligence to the "better good" - i.e. the promotion of their husbands' fame or egos? I think immediately of Ada Babbage, the real innovator of computers.
Biologically, women have to be smarter. They have to massage males' egos to keep them in the hunter-gatherer mode, protecting their youngs' dens, and they have the onerous task of teaching their young to face what can be a very hostile world. Women's roles are multi-dimensional and most times all their skills are deployed. They haven't too much time for lounging about discussing the meaning of life or other philosophical questions, such as who will win the European Cup.
So please give girls the credit they are due. No whinging or mealy-mouthed excuses should be entertained. - Yours, etc.,
Gwen Woods, Herbert Park, Dublin 4.