THE EDITOR, Sir:

I'm really horrified at the response of your columnist Rev. Devon Dick (April 3) to the recent uniform debacle with the students who chose to break the school code and wear shoes of their own choosing. I'm really surprised that Rev. Dick seemed not to 'get it'.

His siding with the education officer in her intemperate remarks about how the school handled the issue are surprising from a clergyman who is part of the system charged with helping to instil a respect for order in daily living. It seems that he was not able to get all the facts about the event to be aware that the school principal had given the offending students one whole term's notice to return to the regulation shoes.

Nor did he hear the discussions on radio wherein the principal and the president of the PTA recounted all the steps taken to get the students to comply with the rules, which, incidentally, they and their parents agreed to follow when they joined the school community.

Dangerous response

Rev. Dick's response is especially dangerous in this time when not a day passes without a report of some students defying authority in their school with serious consequences for the rest of the institution. As to some of th which he offered for students who can't or won't obey the rules about shoes, going barefoot must be noted as his most preposterous suggestion.

I wonder how the authorities of his church would feel if he decided to stop wearing shoes to deliver his sermons or do the rounds of administration as a minister in flip-flops because he didn't feel like being appropriately shod? If Rev. Dick has nothing to say, I'd suggest that he pray for guidance until he is given a message of value to share.

I am, etc.,

PARSON-WATCHER

Kingston