No merit in easy option

    CLLR Barnes is a powerful champion of Dover Boys' Grammar School.
    As chairman of the governors and a member of the education committee he was one of the few to know in advance the exact format and content of the meeting held at County Hall to decide the fate of the grammar schools.
    Most of us, not privy to the machinations of regional government were under the impression that the £10 or £14 million bid would be rejected out of hand by an authority that could not afford to keep a dozen teachers employed!
    Mr Barnes was of course speaking from a purely chauvinist standpoint when he said that if the girls' grammar opted for grant maintained status it would be the end of grammar school education in Dover.
    He meant boys' grammar education. Or, to be more precise, education for boys in a grammar school. There will be just as many bright boys in Dover in five years' time as there were five years ago.
    They just haven't all been going to Dover Boys' Grammar recently.
    His school, faced with two form entry in September needs two deputy heads while the girls', at four form entry, manage, on one.
    But then, women always were better at managing budgets.
    Mr Barnes has indeed been trying for years to grab pupils from the girls' school to solve his problems the easy way. But he hasn't made his school attractive.

    C R Dunn

        Blenheim Road

            Deal