In article , Roger
wrote:
The message from John Cartmell
contains these words:

Absolutely. It was a stupid move regardless of who did it. Almost
as stupid a move as the introduction of comprehensive education.
Who was it that did that?

Most of it was done by Margaret Thatcher.

The milk snatcher could probably be blamed for many of our current ills
but not that. The legislation that forced grammar schools to merge with
secondary moderns or go private was passed in 1976 and MT was totally
opposed to it.

Most of it was done by Margaret Thatcher. Have you checked the numbers?

You mean she personally required education authorities to go comprehensive?

I mean more schools went comprehensive under her watch than anyone else. Ceck
the numbers.

As there are (or were until recently) a few real grammar schools left in
the state sector I suspect that the legislation that gave parents the vote
on whether schools switch was her attempt to limit the damage when she came
to power in 1979.

As my children suffered under the system and I have taught in one of the local
grammar schools I do know about it. My authority is one that has what you
would call 'real' grammar schools but that's not quite true as it doesn't have
'real' secondary modern schools; the worst aspects of the grammar/sec mod
system have been modified by putting more money into the 'high schools'.
It's still not a solution but is nowhere near as bad as the old version -
except for the problems of the 11-plus examination.

Trying to reverse the changes already made, or even those
in progress would have been too daunting even for her.

More likely she wasn't interested.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
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