Common sense shown in supporting Catholic schools

Mr Le Prevost’s letter is so utterly wrong on several levels, perhaps demonstrating his own ‘woke’ credentials.

He refers to abuse by the Roman Catholic Church on a global basis. Other denominations – not least the Anglican Church – are equally culpable. But what we are talking about when looking at the anti-discrimination legislation which was recently debated in the States of Guernsey is confined to this island – not elsewhere.

Here in Guernsey, the Roman Catholic Church has provided primary school education for the island’s children, at little or no cost to the States – and to us taxpayers – without any taint of scandal or abuse, for many decades – it continues to do so now.

This priceless contribution to the island’s education was recently recognised by the States when it voted overwhelmingly to exempt Roman Catholic schools from this anti-discrimination legislation.

Mr Le Prevost might also do well to consider that no organisation, either in the public or private sector, would be allowed by its share- or stakeholders to operate if its senior management was not a member of such an organisation and did not buy into its ethos or brand.

Public and private institutions are absolutely free to ‘brand’ themselves, or to follow a particular ethos or belief, as they see fit – subject to company and private law. The Roman Catholic schools in Guernsey have a strong and understandable connection with their faith. It is this, as much as anything else, which makes them so in demand with island parents for their children’s education.

Lastly, if the States were to ‘wash its hands’ – as Mr Le Prevost puts it – of all religious schools, these would close. If they did so, the States would have to deal with the huge political fall-out of such action. The States would also have to provide alternative education for all of the children displaced from the closed schools – again at huge expense to you and me, the island’s taxpayers.

The States of Guernsey has shown huge common sense, integrity and courage in supporting our irreplaceable Roman Catholic schools and should be soundly applauded for this.

MEYRICK SIMMONDS