Let’s have more scapegoats

ALTHOUGH I agree with much of what Richard Heller has to say about the honours system (Yorkshire Post, February 2), and all the nonsense that surrounds it, I don’t agree that stripping Fred Goodwin of his knighthood is “an empty gesture”.

If, as many seem to suggest, Fred Goodwin was being made a scapegoat, then good, let’s have more scapegoats. After all, you have to start somewhere, and if creating a scapegoat here and there gets things moving, then so be it.

Regardless of intellectual arguments which muddy the waters on many things, including matters of huge public disapproval, there is sometimes a need to simplify matters and go along with popular public opinion. Something was needed to be seen to be done, and if sacrificing Fred Goodwin’s knighthood for his services to banking focuses the minds of politicians and bankers more, then good, let’s have more.

Finding teachers

From: Jennifer Hunter, Farfield Avenue, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

KEITH Woodard (Yorkshire Post, January 27) asks where replacements for “poor teachers” will come from.

I can answer his question succinctly. My suggestion is to reinstate teachers who have been encouraged to leave the profession due to their promotion of traditional, stringent teaching methods and standards.

Over the years they have been replaced by those who support progressive methods and subscribe to a more modern approach to teaching.

This would be a cost-effective, sensible way of redressing the balance. It would not cost the taxpayers, councils or any other institution a penny to make use of skilled, knowledgeable people who have been forced out of the profession.