Until the the fully blown onset of political correctness, it was possible to argue that Labour's visceral hatred for grammar schools was the most socially damaging policy they ever undertook.The arguments used were either weak or spurious. When the weak arguments were examined, the criticisms were easily solvable without the destruction of an entire system.
"Some areas have more grammar school places than others" or "Secondary moderns do not have equivalent funding." Easily sorted.
Ironically, it was Labour who had offered working class children the opportunity to better themselves with their solid support of Butler's pivotal 1944 Education Act.
Suddenly it seemed, their profound class hatred kicked in and they insisted on a marxist-style egalitarianism instead which gave rise to the lamentable comprehensive system of today.
Labour has again turned its spiteful eye towards the remaining 164 grammar schools. [It is ironic that the ever leftwing LSE has produced a damning report which shows social mobility at its lowest in generations.]
Education policy should never be governed by malice!
LINKS: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=512156&in_page_id=1772&in_author_id=255
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/pressAndInformationOffice/newsAndEvents/
archives/2005/LSE_SuttonTrust_report.htm
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/pressAndInformationOffice/staffStudentsAndAlumni/dailyHeadlines/24-05-05.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=346152&in_page_id=1770
http://www.civitas.org.uk/blog/2005/04/the_ladder_of_opportunity.html
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