CONTROVERSY over Sir Keith
Joseph's recent speech to Catholic headmasters, in which he rejected the "historic share" principle, blew up this week with a bitter attack on the Minister from Bishop Daniel Mullins. Chairman of the Committee for Catholics in Higher Education.
Sir Keith told 100 headteachers at the Conference of Catholic Secondary Schools in Leicester that the Government.
though committed to the dual system enshrined in the 1944 Education Act, could not accept that any denomination should have a fixed share of places or resources in the education system.
In a strongly worded reply Bishop Mullins said that Sir Keith has presented a "distorted view" of the Catholic position. "He has misrepresented the Catholic view in the past. and this has been pointed out to him on more than one occasion," the bishop said.
"Sir Keith Joseph is now
claiming that the Secretary of State and the Department can. as it suits them, alter the basis of the partnership between the state and the Churches which is represented by the official recognition of the voluntary principle in educational provision . ."