The nonsense notion of the '˜non selective' grammar school

It is anticipated that St Ronan’s will become Northern Ireland’s largest ‘Catholic grammar school’. Except it is not a grammar school by any reasonable definition.

The common sense understanding is that grammar schools are state-funded schools which select their pupils on the basis of academic ability. Not according to Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd, the churches and some slack minded MLAs in the Assembly.

The minister’s concept of a non-selective grammar school may remind readers of George Orwell’s warning against the encouragement of “doublethink”, whereby the public must learn to embrace inconsistent concepts without dissent for the good of the party. I suspect people aren’t as easily fooled as are lazy politicians

The introduction of this Alice in Wonderland Blair-like redefinition has extended the doublethink in the Catholic sector to include schools such as Loreto College in Coleraine and St Patrick’s Grammar in Armagh.

To paraphrase Bob McCartney MP at the time of The Good Friday Agreement, as quoted by Alex Kane (January 25) “it is patronising, condescending and, to a degree, insulting” to think that by offering non-selective grammar schools the minds and votes of thinking, intelligent people can be purchased. No cynical repetition of “Wouldn’t it be great if it was like this all the time?” will work.

Why do the Catholic church and Sinn Fein condone these paradoxical labels such as non-selective grammar except to spare their blushes over failed education reforms. Contrary to their calculations they are responsible for a lengthy, expensive failed plot to destroy academic selection in favour of social selection and remove choice from all parents.

I will return to this ”long term educational plan” in future contributions.

Stephen Elliott, Co Antrim