In all the current talk about financial misery, it is interesting that one of the biggest, and avoidable, costs in education is never mentioned by politicians: namely denominational schools. They represent an additional drain on budgets, doubling property and staffing costs and often duplicating local provision.

It could perhaps once have been claimed that there was discrimination against Roman Catholics at many levels in Scottish society. However, the world has changed since then, and it is now the RC schools which discriminate in employment.

In the Scotland of today, with equality legislation pouring out of every lawyer’s office and HR department in the country, is it not odd that the Roman Catholic Church can stop the employment of non-adherents of that church? Is it not even more odd when a practising RC can apply and get any post in a non-denominational school, providing he or she is good enough? If that is not discrimination, blatant and overt, what is? Is it right that the Scottish taxpayer should pay to be discriminated against?

Are separate RC schools not an anachronism in 21st century Scotland? The need for society to cater for minority interests is recognised and accepted. However, we should be emphasising the common values within communities, rather than differences.

At the moment, the majority of faiths convey their messages to their kids outside school. Shouldn’t that be the normal way?

Jim Kennedy, Glasgow.