Results tagged “positive discrimination” from Birmingham Mail - Is It Just Me

Once upon a time we had selective education which gave kids from poor areas as much chance of going to grammar school as anyone else. I should know - I was that soldier.

That was knocked on the head in favour o comprehensives which was one of those great ideas in theory but a different animal in practice. It made everyone equal.

For the past few years the main effort in education seems to have been directed towards fudging exams so that even the caretaker's cat gets five A levels at A grade as the results get better and better.

It might give ministers something to puff out their chests about as they roll out the usual world class, policies working, new initiative cobblers and platitudes as soundbites but the rolling 24-hours TV news stations but it is an Emperor's clothes job, the figures do not stack up.

Anyone who questions them though is immediately pounced on - the usual New Labour response to a hint of criticism - being accused of demeaning the efforts of thousands of hard working children and dedicated teachers.

The fact many leave school barely literate or numerate is ignored. The truth is hat we are letting youngsters down. They can only take the courses and exams put in front of them and making them less challenging for political gain is hardly education.

The meddling continues though as does New Labour's mission to punish the middle classes. Latest scheme is to give those from poor areas - for poor read predominantly Labour - a head start in applying for courses such as medicine. They call it positive discrimination which is a term that is both nonsense and offensive.

There is no such thing as positive discrimination. Discrimination by its very nature means that someone or some group is being disadvantaged in favour of another. And if you are one of the poor souls being kicked on the ground then there is nothing very positive about it at all.

Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against children born in the most abject poverty and deprivation becoming doctors - if they are up to it.

But when I am putting my life into the hands of some surgeon I want to know he - or she - is there because they were good enough and are not just a token medic to fulfil quotas and targets.

New Labour, I see, is considering ethnic minority only shortlists for winnable seats.

I just wonder when our politicians and their meddling advisors will finally realise that there is no such thing as positive discrimination?

If one particular group is favoured over another then that is discrimination, plain and simple. It is unfair, causes resentment and no matter how you dress it up, there is nothing whatsoever positive about it.

Even the winners lose because even if they are the best the world has ever known no one ever believes they got the job on merit or ability.