Madam, - In addition to the valid points made by Dr James Murphy (September 4th) regarding the anti-intellectual ethos of our education system, as evidenced by the absence of philosophy and logic from the second-level curriculum, the position of Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) merits comment.
While Fintan O'Toole dealt in a suitably ironic manner with this topic some months ago, he omitted an important aspect: namely, that CSPE is allotted only one lesson a week at junior cycle and none whatever at senior cycle.
If for no other reason than the overriding importance of Leaving Certificate points in the hierarchy of values in the school system, the relegation of CSPE to such an insignificant position illustrates the contempt in this obscurantist country for what should be a central element of education. It would be more honest to omit CSPE altogether from the curriculum than to indulge in this kind of cynical tokenism.
One almost wishes the authoritarian powers that be in this State had the honesty of King Ferdinand VII of Spain, who in 1823 reintroduced the Inquisition to destroy "the disastrous mania of thinking".- Yours, etc,
JOHN COTTER,
Ballykeeffe,
Limerick.