Gazette yesterday, alleging there was a "racial'' aspect to editorials criticising the public school restructuring.

Sen. Simons complained that while criticism of the public system in editorials was "almost unrelenting'', there was "very little criticism levelled at private schools in Bermuda''.

The Editor's criticism "might usefully be placed in a racial context'', he said. The newspaper was "white-dominated'', and "constantly criticising an education system staffed in the main by black Bermudians''.

The editorials almost reinforced the view that "white is right in private schools and black is fundamentally flawed''.

People outside of Bermuda looked upon Bermuda's system as "amazingly successful'', Sen. Simons said. "We could not be the successful society we are if we did not have a successful public education system.'' The former Education Minister, now Government's Parliamentary Secretary for Education in the Senate, made his comments during consideration in the Upper House of the 1995-96 estimates for the Ministry of Education.

There was a responsibility for balance and fairness, and for journalists to inform themselves, he said. But the Editor of the Gazette "has taken it upon himself to be a constant critic of the public education system''.

In response, Royal Gazette Editor Mr. David L. White, said it was not the public school system his editorials were criticising, but the restructuring.

"I have been very careful about that,'' he said. "Senator Simons' mega school has done more for private education than anything in Bermuda's history.

It has caused everyone to want to go private.

"Anyway, referring to editorials written in support of young black men as racist is a cheap shot.'' Sen. Simons noted that in a March 9 editorial, the Royal Gazette said that "when politicians and other adults lead the public criticism of our institutions they destroy any hope young people have of stability''.

He felt that was true, and the effect of the Gazette editorials was the same.

The restructuring was being driven by recommendations of the community-based Education Planning Team, Sen. Simons said.

"I am very hopeful about the status of education in Bermuda, and I am very positive and hopeful about its future,'' he said.

Quoting an author who referred to "balcony people'' as those who uplifted others, and "basement people'' as those who dragged others down, Sen. Simons said "it is my hope that we in Bermuda could over time become balcony people''.

But Opposition Senate Leader Milton Scott said the public was not naive. "We can't become balcony people unless you place us on that balcony...and stop relegating us to the peanut gallery,'' he said.

And Sen. Neletha (Honey) Butterfield (PLP) said Government had to ask why there was so much uncertainty and public mistrust.

Sen. Simons also responded to criticisms from former Education Minister Mrs.

Gloria McPhee, who recently expressed grave fears about the restructuring and said the new senior secondary school at Prospect would polarise the races.

"The reality is that at the secondary level our schools are very racially polarised,'' he said. Despite excellent track records, facilities, and teachers, "even at the primary level some of our schools have very few whites in them''.

It did not bother Sen. Simons that the new school at Prospect would be populated mainly by blacks, because that was the situation currently. The question was "how do we assure the education they receive is infinitely better than the education they receive today?'' Earlier in his comments, Sen. Simons stressed the emphasis Government placed on education.

The $59.4 million in current spending for education budgeted this year represented 15 percent of Government's Budget, he said. And the $36 million provided for school construction made up 64 percent of Government's capital budget.

With the new National Education Guarantee loan programme and other schemes, "just about anyone who wishes to study overseas can do so''.

Turning to assessment, the Bermuda Educational Assessment Programme used in primary schools showed that about 80 percent of Primary 7 students consistently acheived a grade of C or better in maths and language arts.

The most recent results from the California Achievement Test showed that Secondary 1 students were on par with their US counterparts, up from being three months behind a year earlier. The performance of Secondary 4 students was still a concern, because "they are significantly below grade level''.

And 83 percent of Secondary 5 students last year met the requirement for a Bermuda Secondary School Certificate.

The Hon. Gerald Simons