I found the heading and the content of your editorial ‘Class is permanent’ jarring. The overall tone was of complacency and passive acceptance of the persistent inequality perpetuated and maintained by the existence of private schools.
That leading firms are successful and profitable is not the result of private schools. Countless studies have shown that where such educational apartheid exists (tacitly conceded in your leader) it is in fact inefficient. More children do better where educational access is not limited to a small elite. Additionally, it is morally unacceptable that the life chances of the majority are disadvantaged to maintain this educational status quo.
You quite rightly say that it is a societal problem. But I doubt that the late, great Richard Hoggart (of all people) would have passively accepted that such persisting inequity is something that we just have to put up with like the weather, or England crashing out of the Euros. Its persistence should be decried and challenged at every opportunity. I found your leader’s tone seemingly all too content.
Francis O’Neill, O’Neill Injury, Utley, West Yorkshire
