The Independent Schools' Future
SIR,—Recent correspondence on the issue of the independent schools, admirably raised and-discussed
by Angus Maude, overlooks certain important con- siderations.
(1) Opponents of Mr Maude's exposition raise the issue of freedom of choice. What they omit to say, and surely this is the crunch, is that 'Parents should have the choice of educating their children in the way they choose. But the only people who can make this choice are those who can afford to do so, and this is a rapidly diminishing number
of people,' as Mr Maude showed. (2) While freedom of choice for the parent is a very important con- sideration, no mention has yet been made of the child. Surely every, child who is born in the United Kingdom should be given the very best education the country can offer him, if he shows himself orthy of it, regardless of wealth, lack of wealth, or position in society. This should be a paramount duty of a democratic society.
The question is, to my mind, which of these two considerations is of the greater importance. The answer to this is surely the interests of the child. Having given the child an education he merits, the opportunity for independent action, freedom of choice and individual effort will be increased, and, what is more important, broadened; this is to be encouraged, particularly by the Conservative party, whose ethos is based on these principles. Thus, a minority of the population may be deprived of the so-called 'freedom of choice to educate their own children as they wish,' but at the same time a vastly larger number of people will be given the chance to show their inequality, on merit, and not because
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