REFUGEE CHILDREN
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—The following is an extract from an official letter issued by the Board of Education on December 30th, 1938:
"I am directed to state that on the general question of the admission of refugee children to secondary schools, the Board take the view that under the Regulations for Secondary Schools there can he no discrimination as between such children ar‘i children of British nationality. In effect, this means that before being admitted to a secondary school a refugee child must, in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 (d) of the Regulations, pass the normal entrance test, and for this purpose a test specially designed to suit the nationality of the child would not comply with the requirement.
"As regards the award of Special Places to refugee children, the Board would be unable to regard the fact that a child is of foreign nationality as constituting an approved preference within the meaning of Article 14 (c) of the Regulations."
The effect of this communication is, of course, to prevent the admission of refugee children to secondary schools. That such a prohibition is a disgrace to a civilised country and that, although it may represent the policy of the National Govern- ment, it does not reflect the attitude of the average decent citizen seem to me self-evident propositions. May I appeal to your readers to bring pressure to bear on members of Parliament so as to have this circular at once withdrawn?—
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