Letters - February 20, 2018

Emily Davison died after falling under the King' s horse at the Derby.

It seems history is trying to be rewritten by some yet again.

Were suffragettes terrorists or not?

Suffragettes used a wide variety of methods to force politicians to embrace their cause of votes for women, including arson attacks on post boxes and even bombing the house of Chancellor Lloyd George.

The bomb, which brought down ceilings and cracked walls was planted by none other than Emily Davison, who later died beneath the hooves of the king’s horse at the 1913 Derby(pictured).

The first terrorist bomb to explode in Ireland in the 20th century was planted not by the IRA, but by the suffragettes.

They also invented the letter bomb, designed to maim or kill those with whom they disagreed.

They even bombed churches.

There is talk of erecting a statue of their leader, Emmeline Pankhurst near Parliament.

Who will be next to be lauded, the IRA?

Terry palmer

Via email

SOCIETY

Teachers can’t do the job any more

Why is there a shortage of teachers?

The answer is the same as for nurses and police - they can’t do their jobs. It’s not a criticism of their ability or effort but rather the administrative tasks that stop them from doing their actual job.

The often reported shortage of capable, experienced teacher is exacerbated by the number of young teachers who start with great enthusiasm but leave disillusioned within five years. Teachers want to teach, for which they have been studying for at least four years, but they are stuck with doing administrivia and repetitive professional development in order to stay registered.

What can be done to remedy this - at a reasonable cost and in a reasonable time? More money is always a positive although most people don’t enter the profession for the financial rewards but for what they can do for their students. Respect for teachers has declined but it can’t be addressed by governments but rather by individual teachers who earn it.

Perhaps the only significant change at the moment is to recognise that teachers teach and administrators administer and never the twain should meet in one person.

Dennis Fitzgerald

via email

A performance worthy of an Oscar

There are many awards for the acting and entertainments industry, including the BAFTA awards.

In my opinion there should be a special award this year, for the young woman who presents the VI Poo commercial.

How she delivers her lines with such a straight face, without cracking up into uncontrollable laughter, is beyond me, she is surely worthy of an Oscar.

Denis Lee

Ashton

Guess who popped up?!

There was a fascinating documentary on the Old Bailey on Channel 5.

It was very interesting and filled us in on the workings of the court.

Then who pops up? Paul Burrell, same old story.

Jayne Grayson

Via email

POVERTY

Urgent action

is needed

Dame Louise Casey was a ‘homeless tsar’ in the past. She was on BBC Radio 4 and said Theresa May’s government had made things worse for the homeless.

The Tory government has talked about solving the rough sleepers’ problem in many years’ time. Surely urgency is the ticket?

Max Nottingham

Address supplied

SOCIETY

The lunatics  are taking over

The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

What with the black cab rapist up for release and the girls being barred from darts and Formula 1, I’m waiting for the next crazy idea from the do-gooders who think we are incapable of deciding what is right or wrong and what we decide to view.

T Walker

Address supplied