Worrying lesson

I was particularly struck by two statements in your report on the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) ballot on teachers’ pay and conditions (22 October).

The first was: “Turnout was around 30 per cent.” The other was the claim by the EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan that “the result is a clear rejection by Scotland’s teachers” of the suggested changes.

True, 60 per cent of the 30 per cent who voted were against acceptance, but that amounts to only 18 per cent of the total EIS membership, which hardly justifies the general secretary’s claim.

What astonishes me is that on such an important issue the great majority of a body representing one of the better-educated groups in society was, apparently, too apathetic to vote. Maybe Hugh Reilly could comment.

S Beck

Craigleith Drive

Edinburgh