Sir, – Regarding the proposed new school patronage, I am very surprised our Minister for Education has decided that no public meeting will be allowed and that town hall meetings and other activities which might whip up a “media frenzy” are to be prohibited (Seán Flynn, Home News June 21st).
How can a Minister deny parents their right to meet and discuss such an important matter? It would appear that he believes parents are not capable of calm and rational discussion concerning their own children.
It is sad to think that parents are held in such low esteem by our Minister for Education. I would have expected that this type of diktat is more reminiscent of former communist regimes rather than a modern democracy.
It would also be very interesting to hear from the present school patrons as to whether or not they agree with this approach. – Yours, etc,