51pWhich of the following letters presents the same argument as Steve
McMahon uses in his letter?

Letters defending private schools or even portraying them as agents
for social mobility must surely be part of the new trend for fake news?
The headmistress of James Allen’s Girls’ School gives us a
heartrending account of the struggles of her mother sending her off to
private education on the back of her work in the school kitchen. She
probably has few pupils in her school with mothers currently in such
employment. Finding the upwards sum of an extra £10k a year from
the wages of a kitchen help would be laughable.
Joan Errington,
East Grinstead, West Sussex

Promoting social mobility through public schools being seen as
positive is in itself problematic. In an unequal society someone
climbing the social ladder sends someone down. Greater social
equality, without rank being set by those already privileged, would
enable all people being respected for their abilities and contribution to
society.
Roy Grimwood,
Market Drayton, Shropshire

When I attended James Allen’s Girls’ School (Jags) in the 1950s at
least half the pupils post-11 were paid for by the local authority. The
remaining half had to pay fees. There was some genuine social
mobility with many girls going on to successful careers. But nowadays
Jags is a part of the very small but extremely powerful private sector in
this country. It is naive to think that schools that are so richly
resourced and as selective as Jags enhance social mobility.
Liz Armstrong,
Hadfield, Derbyshire