This will surprise Mr Dry, our socialist friend. I agree with what he said about schools in the September 27 Letters Page.

Yes, our state schools would produce much better-educated people if they were funded like independent schools.

Roughly, an independent school charges around £7,500 per pupil each year. A state school gets less than half of this.

Yes, of course independent schools offer more: smaller classes, plenty of textbooks, decent buildings and equipment etc. They provide these things because parents demand them, and are willing to pay for them.

So why are independent schools so responsive to parents, unlike state schools?

The saying is true he who pays the piper, calls the tune.

Independent schools have to do as their parents wish, otherwise the parents can easily take their children, and their money, elsewhere.

In state schools, the money comes from politicians, so naturally they call the shots.

Take one of last week's letters for instance. Councillor Bob Mays wastrying to recruit parents for an ideological civil war with the Government.

So which side will parents take? I suspect parents will wonder what this has to do with their childrens' education.

Why must we be forced to choose between the blinkered views of rival politicians?

What's wrong with being able to choose the education that best suits our children, from a very wide range of options supplied by responsive schools?

David J McKee,

Borehamwood Conservatives.

October 18, 2001 10:41