I suspect that it's a case of 'the devil ye know is better than the one ye don't 'even if it means cutting off our nose to spite our face. That appears to be the situation in respect of the Ministers proposals on what will replace the 11+.
There is no doubt that parents are concerned and worried about the transfer arrangements but the grammar school lobby and indeed some school Principals who have a vested interest in retaining academic selection are feeding a culture of fear and insec
urity among both parents and children.
Indeed it is outrageous that some Catholic School principals appear to be working to a DUP agenda.
In the past week many parents received letters from school principals asking them to sign sample enclosed letters of protest to the Minister of Education, Catriona Ruane.
In what could be seen as blackmail, some Principals are using the genuine concerns of parents and children, in apportioning the blame for the situation on the Minister of Education, Catriona Ruane.
Since Martin McGuinness announced the abolition of the 11 plus, the collective stance of political Unionism has been subvert any effort to dispense with this elitist and unjust system.
Those school Principals and members of the CCMS in the public gallery in Stormont on that day, witnessed the reaction of Unionist to the announcement with one Unionist MLA describing them as 'the Catholic mafia'.
They would know that the proposals to abolish the 11 plus would meet with strong opposition from the backwoodsmen of Unionism. That the nature of the beast and it was a brave woman who took it on when the Assembly reconvened after years of Unionist obstruction and efforts to rewrite the Good Friday Agreement.
But take it on she did when others offered the position of Ministry of Education hadn't the guts to take it and true to their 1690 mindset, Unionist have consistently opposed her efforts to end this iniquitous system known as the 11plus. Despite being obstructed at every turn, Catriona Ruane has tried to persuade Unionism and even those elitist among some of the Nationalists schools, of the benefits of an educational system that would cater for the needs of all children.
In the face of such sectarian opposition, she knew that as Minister she had an obligation to try and reach a consensus that would enable replacing the sixty years of academic selection with a transfer process that would guarantee equality of educational opportunity in all schools.
Perhaps it was unrealistic to expect any Minister to effect such profound change in the time scale of eighteen months even if there was agreement between the various stake holders.
What is now clear is that the process is deadlocked by the antics of the DUP who are still hankering after a return of 'Old Lord Brookeborough's golden days in a Stormont long gone. It is scandalous to say the least, to use children in the pretence that the retention of the 11+ favours Protestantism and that this gives Unionism a degree of privilege over Catholics.
That is the DUP position and even if the SDLP held the Educational Ministerial post, they would face the same resistance and blocking tactics as Catriona Ruane though listening to some of the SDLP spokespersons in the past few months one wonders if it's a case that they are giving political cover to reactionary unionism or just the usual sniping from the sidelines tactics against Sinn Fein.
What Unionism and others appear to have forgotten is that all the Teachers Unions support the Ministers position. In addition, various reports since the decision to abolish the 11 plus, including Burns and Costello have recommended that no school should be permitted to use academic selection criteria for children's admission to second level education.
However there are powerful vested interests at work to prevent any changes in the educational system as anyone listening to Karen Patterson interviewing Catriona Ruane, on the BBC Evening Extra programme last week would understand.
Indeed listeners could be forgiven for thinking that the 11+ selection test was an educational success story for children in the North of Ireland especially in the Shankill Road, an area in West Belfast reputed to have the lowest pass rate in 11+ history.
There is no doubt that the abolition of the 11 plus has caused a rush of blood to the head of some of those powerful vested interests, the grammar school lobby, led by the quaintly named Association for Quality Education who have been joined in their pursuit of 'paradise lost', by some of their Catholic counterparts.
Nowhere else in Europe is there a system of education that has perpetuated such inequality and division that many would argue has contributed in no small to the conflict of the past forty years.
Yet the Bloomfield led old boy network and the Catholic grammar school lobby have refused to accept that the abolition of the 11+ has the potential to create a system of education which will meet the needs of all children and promote the academic and vocational excellence for the benefit of all and not a select few.
To put it simply the transfer system in place for the past sixty years has given up on generations of children, a scandal that the grammar school lobby refuses to concede.
Catriona Ruane recognises that the changes she envisages post 11+ are about more than post primary transfers. She knows that education needs to adapt to the rapidly changing world of the global village and the challenges of an ever growing technical and complex society, now facing a global economic crisis that may transform the planet. Indeed tomorrows children may be rocketing off to other planets in much the same way that today's back packers jet around the world.
Children need to be assured that academically and vocationally they will be given the opportunity to achieve their full learning potential so that their choice of careers apart from contributing to the greater good of society would also contribute to their personal development as fully aware human beings equipped to take their place in this rapidly changing world.
In this respect there is no place for selfish values and individualism or the preferential treatment of the more affluent.
The stark reality is that less than 35 percent of our young people progress to third level education in comparison to 72 percent in the South of Ireland.
Since she made the announcement Catriona Ruane has had to deal with many slurs and threats on her personal and political integrity. Despite the dirty dealings of those resistant to change, the majority of educationalists and parents are supportive of her proposals.
That political Unionism led by the DUP want to maintain a system that has malignly influenced the lives of so many children is not surprising for they lack the confidence and the ability to think beyond their own negative and sectarian mindset.
Parents need to take control and tell Unionism and all those blocking change that they want in place an educational system that can fulfil the potential of each child to grow into caring and confident citizens with clear values and identities, proud of their own traditions while respectful of others and using their energies to power the economy'. Who wants to perpetuate educational apartheid?
