Letters: Root of division

John Lamont (Letters, 24 June) is correct in his assertion that sectarian schools encourage division, foster hatred and have a deleterious effect on society.

It says a lot for the power that religion has that we are not having a debate about the role of education in encouraging segregation.

It is absurd that we are trying to deal with the issue of sectarianism without dealing with the biggest cause. Namely encouraging children to think of themselves as different because of their parents' religion.

When discrimination was outlawed in the American south, the first thing that the US government did was encourage bussing programmes to take children to school in different areas so that they would meet people of a different race. It was rightly thought that this would challenge the stereotypes that children had and lead to a reduction in racism.

It is frankly ludicrous that the spineless politicians of all the main Scottish parties are so craven for the votes of the so-called religious believers that they would ignore evidence just to appease Cardinal Keith O'Brien.

Catholic schools can quite legally discriminate against non-Catholics when appointing staff to their taxpayer-funded schools. This would not apply to any other sector of society.

The Catholic Church is the richest private organisation in the world. If the church wants to have schools only for followers of the faith then the church should pay for them.

Alan Hinnrichs

Gillespie Terrace

Dundee

On THURSDAY I watched Newsnight Scotland where the discussion was about the Anti-Sectarianism Bill going through parliament.

John Lamont MSP had early recalled some of his own memories about going to school in Kilwinning, Ayrshire and having stones and eggs thrown at him by members of the Catholic community. He went on to say how unpleasant it was.

During the TV discussion, justice minister Roseanna Cunningham MSP dismissed Mr Lamont in a most arrogant and high-handed way. She seemed out of touch with what people experienced. This, after all, is the start of sectarianism.

Those who were children back then will remember similar incidences for a very long time. It continues to present itself in a different form in football.

I wish the SNP would show a good deal more compassion than it is at the moment. In general the Nationalists seem arrogant and out of touch.

Diana Mackenzie

Bruntsfield Place

Edinburgh

I SEE that Bishop Joseph Devine has angrily rejected the suggestion by Conservative MSP John Lamont (your report, 4 June) that Catholic schools reflect a "state-sponsored conditioning of sectarian attitudes". Unless I am mistaken, this is the very same Bishop Joseph Devine who told the BBC in September 2002 that denominational education was "divisive" and "an enabler of sectarianism".

Could the bishop please make up his mind?

Alistair McBay

Lawmuirview

Methven