Education Minister was a victim of racist United Bermuda Party supporters.

St. George's Secondary principal Mr. Dale Butler said the Hon. Gerald Simons had been targeted in an all-out bid to keep working class children segregated.

But the UBP yesterday hit back, saying Mr. Butler's accusations did a "very serious injustice'' to debate on racism.

And it underlined the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan's commitment to education reform.

The UBP reacted to Mr. Butler's claims in The Royal Gazette yesterday with "great disappointment''.

"Gerald Simons didn't deserve this, Sir John Swan didn't deserve this, Education doesn't deserve this, and such a statement does a very serious injustice to the discussions on racism being held in the community today.'' The UBP, however, described Mr. Butler as a respected person in the community, dedicated to public education.

And it welcomed his appeal for parents to rally around new Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira.

"The UBP joins with him in applauding all Gerald Simons has accomplished with education in the last seven years and his calls for greater community and parent involvement and support.'' The party statement continued: "Education reform is a reality. It has started in many areas and to a great extent, the plans that Mr. Simons and the Education Planning Team fathered have been implemented.

"These changes have improved the education of today's students. Tomorrow's students are going to be well served by the plans in place for restructuring which will move ahead without delay.

"The UBP will see that the path started in education is followed to its end.

"There will be no backing down from what Mr. Butler rightly calls "the road to upward mobility'' for all Bermudians and, we would add, the basis of a fair society.

"Bermuda can deal with open and honest discussions about racism.'' UBP leaders, representing all races, supported the Judge Stephen Tumim report on Bermuda's criminal justice system, the statement added.

This was because they believed most Bermudians could look at their community, isolate the problems, and work to bring about change.

"If this discussion disintegrates into a political slanging match; if we cheapen the terrible meaning of racism by flinging it into every discussion; if we level the charge at every white, every black, every association, and every business then none of us will accomplish the harmony and fairness that most of us seek.

"Whether it occurs in the open or behind the scenes, racism must stop.

"There is no magic wand and those that pretend they have one are building the walls of institutionalised racism, not tearing them down.''