Madam, - What a pity that The Irish Times should hand John Waters the job of analysing the Leaving Certificate English syllabus (Exam Times, June 8th), so that what we get is another grumpy anti-feminist diatribe from a very predictable source. Any syllabus or collection of work makes an easy target, where simple lists of what's not there can substitute for serious discussion of the merits of what is included.
If one of your many serious literary critics had been given the job of looking at the syllabus, his or her analysis would be taken more seriously, not only by interested parties such as former ministers for education, but also by the people currently responsible for constructing the syllabus. Instead, alas, this article can be dismissed just as soon as it becomes obvious that Mr Waters is using his critique of the syllabus as a vehicle for his frequently expressed views on the changing world for men and women.
The dangers of this kind of journalism were well illustrated recently when Kevin Myers complained that there had been no reaction to his passionate article about heinous crimes against the young children of a former member of the Army. When Mr Myers has so often gone over the top, causing uproar and upset within and without The Irish Times, he can't be too surprised that sometimes, when he writes a serious and well-written, well-researched article, it is ignored.
Alas, the "crying wolf" syndrome comes into play. - Yours, etc,
GEMMA HUSSEY,
Burlington Road,
Dublin 4.