Sir, – Eoin Daly and Máiréad Enright (September 21st) join the chorus of voices bemoaning the right that some parents choose to exercise in sending their child to a fee-paying school. They cite recent articles in your newspaper as “myopic eulogies . . . based on little more than sentimental recollection and anecdotal evidence”.
If they had read Gerry Foley’s article (Education Today, September 20th) carefully they would have noticed a distinct lack of such anecdotal evidence in favour of some inescapable facts, the primary among them being that the State’s €100 million subsidy to fee-paying schools actually saves the State an awful lot of money.
This fact is conveniently glossed over due to the “myopia” inherent in arguments put forward by the likes of Mr Daly and Ms Enright.
The most insidious accusation levelled at parents who choose this option for their children is that they contribute to “the polarisation of our society”. This is a classic example of attacking the stereotype rather than the reality.
My parents, along with many others in this country, worked extremely hard and sacrificed an awful lot to ensure I received the best education possible. I felt in no way “polarised” from my peers due to the opportunities that were afforded to me. The ethos of most of the fee-paying schools in this country is one that promotes inclusivity and social justice to a great degree, and to suggest that such an education contributes to inequity or “reproduction of class differences” is not only repugnant but also disingenuous, given the facts.
Alas, facts seem to be of little importance to those who continue to prolong this debate at the expense of helpful dialogue conducive to repairing our ailing educational system. – Yours, etc,