The Kirk is therefore a minority interest - albeit an important minority. The multitude of other faiths comprise some, like the Catholics, in reasonable strength and others all the way down to weird microscopic sub-sects whose very existence can scarcely be credited.

Considering that the Kirk is a body of mostly reasonable middle-class middle-aged people who have identified their God as respectable middle-class and eternal, its members could be a force for moderation on the School Boards. But considering that the Kirk is, nonetheless, a minority pressure group it is right that it should not be explicitly represented on the Boards as of right. The Kirk has nothing to complain about in this. Individuals will have to chance it at the elections.

It would be entirely wrong for the Boards to become arenas for competing special interest minorities - sacred or profane. The people we want are those who know something about education, care a lot about it and proceed from a position of respect for the professionals who have made Orkney education as good as any. People may choose to reveal their opinions on this and that; "some never cease doing so", I hear you cry. But it is quite unacceptable that candidates for election to the Boards should be publicly questioned on anything other than their knowledge of, commitment to, and availability for, service to public education.