Sir, - I'm writing in response to an article Kevin Myers wrote about the letters which my class sent to the Turkish Prime Minister. I was appalled to find that instead of encouraging us to be aware of global issues, he said that we were prompted by teachers and that we knew nothing about Turkey - "but such letters reflect not the opinions of the children, who probably do not know where Turkey is, but their teachers.
Before we wrote our letters, a person from Amnesty came in and told us about what was going on in various countries, and singled out Done Talun. She gave us a sheet of information on it. That afternoon, we wrote a letter about her case to the Turkish Prime Minister. Our teacher did not influence or change a word in it.
Kevin Myers has never met or contacted us, so how could he have any idea of our knowledge of Turkey?
How dare he imply that we are not independent enough to make up our own minds! It is a plain example of ageism; he isn't taking us seriously because we are children. I would have expected more from The Irish Times. - Yours, etc.,
(12), Moyne Road, Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.