Public schools' rigidity
Sir: The Headmaster of Shrewsbury, Donald Wright, showed the tip of an attitudinal iceberg when he wrote (September 15) of ' penal taxation ' being one of the general influences responsible for our national failings.
I dare say that his attitude in this respect would find almost unanimous reflection throughout the public school system, both from staff and parents (and of course the boys themselves.) Nor is this to be wondered at, for the contact between that system and, for instance, the realities of living off a pension or of being one of those who suffer penal underpayment in their jobs is almost non-existent.
Worse, because the system is dependent on the continuance of a gross inequality within our national community in terms of both income and capital, little is done even noW (absolutely nothing being done when I was part of the system) to create any awareness of the causes and political issues raised by such inequality; beyond of course an endless sermon about the duties of power and privilege.
It is no good Mr Wright, or any other headmaster, seeking to slur politicians (even Conservative ones). The moral vitality of their own schools lies in their own hands, although I agree it would indeed take vision, verve and a willingness to take risk for a headmaster to really do much about it.
Andrew W. Phillips 15 Blackfriars Lane, London EC4
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