Origins of Section 28
From Professor Antony Flew
Sir: I read your leading article 'Axe Section 28' (21 September) on the day of its publication, during a flight to France, and was thus in no position to write a letter to the editor in hope of publication. But I resolved then to write, as I am now writing, to tell you that the original purpose of Section 28 was not 'to warm the cockles of the bigot's heart, and to drive the gay lobby to frenzy'.
A main source of concern that such a regulation should be introduced was the education group of the Centre for Policy Studies (of which I was myself a member from its formation shortly after the foundation of its parent institution). We were moved to urge the introduction of some such regulation in the next Education Act after we had learnt that, in schools then run by the Inner London Education Authority, something on the lines of Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin was being actively promoted as part of that authority's policy for race, sex and class equality.
Of course, there would be no need for such a regulation if only we had a national system either of education tax credits or education vouchers. The CPS education group was from its formation committed to such drastic liberalisation. I myself in 1983 wrote for the CPS a pamphlet, Power to the People!, arguing for these ideas. This was followed in 1987 by an independently published book, Power to the Parents: Reversing Educational Decline. (This book contained evidence, mainly produced by members of this education group, showing that the comprehensive revolution had reduced the previous remarkably high proportion of boys and girls from social classes four and five proceeding to higher education.)
Antony Flew
Reading, Berkshire
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