Elitist argument

Your editorial (17 November) on private schooling tells me much about The Scotsman’s outlook on life. The assertion, that private schools are almost certainly elitist, and that this is almost certainly not a problem, is at least honest, but not something I can agree with.

Why is elitism in something as fundamental as education to be encouraged? Should the education system not be about levelling up, rather than perpetuating and accentuating, existing social divisions?

And it strikes me as farcical to confer charitable status on institutions that are considered “elitist” even by their supporters. As a former pupil of a supposedly “charitable” private school myself, I find it hard to see where the benefits to society lie.

C Hegarty

Glenorchy Road

North Berwick