school reform criticisms levelled recently by former Education Minister Mrs.

Gloria McPhee.

Mrs. McPhee, who was Education Minister from 1972 to 1976, said the "mega-school'', which can accommodate 1,250 students, will serve lower-income blacks and "play a deadly role in the total polarisation of the races'' in Bermuda.

Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira has rejected the criticism, saying "fairness and equity'' were the principals behind the restructuring, which ends the selective secondary school system by abolishing entrance exams.

But in a statement issued yesterday by spokesman Mr. Murray Brown, the NAR executive said the $40-million senior secondary school about to be built at Prospect would not be "all-inclusive'', as promised by another former Education Minister, the Hon. Gerald Simons.

"Inasmuch as neither he, nor the Cabinet, ever had any intention of eliminating private schools, for obvious reasons, to pretend that an unwanted mega-school would be all-inclusive was either naive or dishonest.

"That argument deliberately ignores the reality and power of race and racism in Bermuda, as well as the social implications for those without wealth and power,'' the statement said.

The same was true of the recent Green Paper on Independence and the views of many "high-profile'' Bermudians, both black and white, Mr. Brown said.

Government's refusal to change its position on the unpopular plan to move Dellwood Primary School students to Northlands Secondary School "is a sharp reminder that this Government is prepared to put its consideration concerning cost well above the welfare of children from Parsons Road and Laffan Street.

"More importantly, it reflects the arrogance and indifference of decision makers to those who are neither wealthy nor powerful.'' There was no reason to believe the new school at Prospect would overcome "racial attitudes'' in Bermuda, the NAR said.

"A mega-school, so widely resented, is not an answer,'' especially if, like the National Stadium and Tynes Bay Incinerator, it was years in the making "and then not quite right''.

Meanwhile, Berkeley Institute board of governors chairman Mr. Calvin White disputed Mrs. McPhee's prediction that the new school at Prospect would spell the death of Berkeley, slated to be the other senior secondary school on the Island.

Mr. White said he could understand Mrs. McPhee's concern, but "I don't share the view that the new school spells the demise of Berkeley.

"Basically, I believe, and we believe as a board, that Berkeley will be the school of first choice,'' he said. "Berkeley has a long history of producing quality graduates.'' Government made a commitment to two senior secondary schools and now must fund both schools, Mr. White said.