Fighting talk as school bullies dominate exam curriculum

The Herald Scotland

4 days ago

All other subjects in school seem to have to fight to find a market niche.
Mr. Page has the challenge of finding a solution to our school subjects historical boundary status when the 21st century is calling out for young people who can think differently than their fathers and mothers.
I doubt if Mr. Page will be persuaded to adopt criterion referenced assessment when our political masters seem so satisfied to competitively rank all our pupils against each other.
If 75.9% of Higher grade candidates get an A,B or C pass this year, will our new exam authority give the ones who failed a second chance, perhaps with on-line exams and targeted tutorials? Considering that the Scottish Qualifications Authority have a monopoly, I would have thought a sense of heavy responsibility would outweigh any blame it might transfer to schools.
Bill Brown, Milngavie.
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Testing times
I NOTE that once again we are at the 'school exam results' time of the year.
As usual, the television reporters present the viewer with scenes of self-congratulation involving both students and their proud parents. Whilst wishing the successful students every success in the next academic stage of their lives, my thoughts turn to their less successful and, no doubt disappointed, peers. One wonders what they made of the congratulatory hysteria?
At least they were spared the indignity of exam results being posted in a glass cabinet on the outside of the facility building for the world to see.
David Edgar, Biggar.
Nothing novel about book festival
IT is all very well for Chris Murray MP to request an end to criticism of the Edinburgh Book Festival (''Stop giving Edinburgh Book Festival pelters – or face losing it'', The Herald, July 23) for its choice of authors and ending of its Baillie Gifford sponsorship.
Certainly, it is better to have a Book Festival than not to have one.
But bullying by a group consisting of the self-satisfied and entitled saw Baillie Gifford, a generous benefactor, withdraw.
This was intolerable and needed to be called out.
Furthermore, it is incomprehensible that the editors of The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht were not invited this year.
Their subject is of great topical interest and does indeed involve ventilating 'ideas', as Mr Murray recommends.
The book has been praised, and indeed fêted, but is not good enough for the Edinburgh Book Festival.
I can only conclude that the organisers feared there would be a hostile reaction from trans activists if a book of gender realist essays were to feature.
That is scarcely admirable.
Instead, we have what will undoubtedly be a volume of self-justification, including on gender issues, by Nicola Sturgeon, who seems to have a regular slot at Edinburgh's Festivals.
Will this reveal 'ideas' that we haven't already heard ad nauseam?
Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh.
Go West
I DISAGREE with those who mourn the decline of Milngavie (Letters, August 6).
One of the top things to do when visiting is to make your way to the start of the West Highland Way.
I have no doubt that there are many who got to know of Milngavie because of this feature.
I feel that much of the adverse commentary about the area is somewhat overstated.
I am sure that there are many who would view it as a privilege to reside there.
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.
Poor decision by SNP
THE idea that Nicola Sturgeon deserves to be praised for scrapping prescription charges (Letters, August 6) needs to be challenged.
In the first place, before this decision was made, most Scots were already eligible for free prescriptions. Only those earning above a certain level had to pay.
In other words, despite the repeated claims of Sturgeon and the SNP that those with the broadest shoulders should pay more, they were given this benefit, as were the middle-classes and rich when they received the Winter Fuel Allowance.
I find it rather obtuse to celebrate these Sturgeon middle-class freebies as an achievement when the money could have been better spent on the poor.
Ian McNair, Cellardyke.
Ducking responsibility
IN days gone by people who acted in an objectionable way in small communities were thrown in the duck pond.
Could this practice be restored in the modern age to deal with those actions which may not require the return of the death penalty, or lifetime imprisonment, but nevertheless irritate and disappoint in disproportionate degree?
I have in mind such things as cutting down centuries old sycamore trees, throwing rubbish out car windows, spitting chewing gum on the pavement, leaving dog poo bags dangling from trees etc…
Perhaps we could also have these miscreants placed in the stocks for a day of humiliation, attracting the derision of offended citizens.
I accept that birching may be a step too far, but the principle still stands.
Keith Swinley, Ayr.
Spiderman (Tom Holland): Unmasked at last.
Superhero swinger is welcome
FOR all he's done for us, Spiderman can surely do no wrong, and I'm happy to extend my patience while he diverts the traffic around Glasgow on his visit ("Holland says hi" The Herald, August 6).
With Antman arriving at Ibrox, it's like a Marvel team-up (or a conference of entomologists).
Last week the film-crew planted the most mahoosive cherry picker I done seen on Wellington St, near to the most annoying defective street light in the city, which has been flickering neurotically for years, high on the side of an office block.
Walking past on my way back from my Bath Street jazz club, I almost shouted to the set gaffer on the Spiderman movie, "See while you're up there, pal…?"
As a gesture of goodwill, I'm sure it's something a wall-crawling friendly neighbourhood lightbulb replacement service would be happy to oblige.
James Macleod, Cardonald.