A "blackballed'' educator is hoping to set up a new private school which promises to take in children from all walks of life and turn them into future leaders.

And she has sent out copies of a letter to companies and politicians, including the Premier, challenging them to put their money where their mouth is.

"I challenge all Bermudians who want all of Bermuda's children to be afforded the opportunity to be involved in one of the world's leading curriculums and programmes to support me,'' co-founder of the Christian Deliverance Academy Muriel Wade-Smith wrote in the letter dated June 18. "I need financial assistance to do this.'' Dr. Wade-Smith, who believes her expertise in curriculum development have never been appreciated locally because of "colonialism and institutional racism'', in 1983 helped to set up the CDA in Smith's Parish which used the School of Tomorrow curriculum and programme.

She took both of her two sons out of the public school system and placed them in the CDA.

But after clashes with the Education Ministry and the other founder of the CDA, Stanley Lee, she left the Island.

This week, however, Bermuda's first qualified curriculum coordinator told The Royal Gazette her vision of education in Bermuda was rekindled after the recent death of her son Ashanti and spending the past six months assisting one of the world's leading education reformer, Donald Howard -- founder and president for 27 years of the School of Tomorrow -- with curriculum revision in Texas.

"I have been reluctant to pursue further involvement with education in Bermuda,'' she said. "I've felt like a citizen without a country and a prophet without honour in his own country. Over the past few weeks, however, I have been experiencing a change of heart...'' "About six weeks ago,'' Dr. Wade-Smith added, "my youngest Ashanti became Bermuda's seventh road fatality (of the year). I have been haunted by the memory of him telling me that what I had given him was the same thing he wanted for his children. With Ashanti's passing, I feel duty bound and responsible for seeing that his children receive the same kind of education that I gave him.'' She stressed that she therefore would like to establish a model School of Tomorrow for her grandchildren and others "to meet the educational needs of today, with the traditional values of yesterday, and the technology of tomorrow''.

"I feel an obligation to my grandchildren to set up a first-class school which is hi-tech,'' Dr. Wade-Smith said.

"Just as I did not provide quality education for my children only, I would not provide quality education just for Ashanti's children. I love to see children learn. The colour of their skin and their status in life should not be obstacles preventing children from receiving quality education.'' So far such has been the case in Bermuda, she added.

She noted that while pursuing her studies at Miami University in Ohio during the 1970s, she and another Bermudian educator, Yvonne Blackett, came across an unpublished dissertation by Bermuda's first Chief Education Officer Kenneth Robinson.

In the document, entitled "Education in Bermuda'', the Harvard graduate stated: "From the outset the (education) system has been diversified both with respect to purpose and structure''.

He also listed major special education objectives with which "coloured Bermudians'' should be concerned.

And Dr. Blackett, in an unpublished report in May 1976, indicated that "official documents in 1948 revealed indications of the following: Philosophy of Education -- Schools should be for the maintenance of the social, economic, and political status quo; Educational principles -- ... that of social, economic, and political dominance by whites; and Educational objectives -- ... to cultivate white children for hereditary leadership.'' After hearing that two exempted companies were donating $2 million to Saltus Grammar School, Dr. Wade-Smith said she asked herself if the situation had changed since 1948.

"I fully understand the dilemma and plight of these companies,'' she added, "I, however, totally disagree with their actions. Every parents wants quality education for their children.

"Form a partnership with me! Back me with $2 million and I guarantee you I'll not only make a difference in the academic achievement of all of Bermuda's children, but I will turn over to you some charactered young people, the future leaders of this country, whose lives will show the importance of such character traits as commitment, punctuality, diligence, cooperation, honesty, responsibility, and many, many others.'' However, Dr. Wade-Smith admitted she could not afford to start up a school on her own.

"I did this (established a school) 14 years ago, but it could not thrive because of colonialism and institutional racism,'' she said, explaining that colonialism meant foreign was always right and institutional racism meant white was always right.

"Now that I've found that out I'm looking for a level playing field,'' she stressed.