To The Australian Frank Corrigan's review of Robert Verkaik's book Posh Boys: How the English Public Schools ruin Britain (Review, 7-8/12) certainly conveys that author's hostility to private education but also seems to share his one-sided approach. What is forgotten is that society needs to reward high achievers and a major way of doing that is to have them able to secure the best education they can for their children. It sounds awful, but is not: posh people deserve to have available posh schools. Equity, not equality should be the principle invoked. Toss out "equality of opportunity", but replace it with "a fair go for the less privileged." If in the UK a "huge disparity" exists between private and public schools, then redress the balance to a fairer ratio. As to the claim that "posh hustlers make disastrous political leaders", this seems to result from a blinkered and prejudiced approach. Jacob Rees-Mogg provided much evidence to the contrary in his recent book The Victorians.
Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic