The writer of the letters said that the Executive's expenditure was a 'waste' and a 'national disgrace' and that Gaelic was a 'pointless and useless language'. Of particular concern to CNSA was the writer's allegation that children in Gaelic-medium education were being 'brainwashed' by CNSA and by 'unthinking parents'. The correspondent said it was a 'form of child abuse' and hoped that children in Gaelic medium education would one day sue CNSA and their parents.
CNSA is a registered charity which has worked for 20 years in the development of pre-school education through the Gaelic medium. Gaelic has been identified in the Scottish Executive's national priorities framework for schools, and the number of pupils in Gaelic-medium education has increased from 1,450 in 50 schools in 1995/1996 to 1,860 in 60 primary schools in 2000/ 2001.
Last month, minister for Gaelic Alasdair Morrison pledged continued support for Gaelic-medium education and said it had a key role to play in delivering a diverse and vibrant Scotland. The Executive provides specific grant funding for up to 75 per cent of the costs of Gaelic-medium education and this budget is set to increase to 2.8m in 2001/2002.
CNSA chief executive Fionn-lagh Macleoid said the letter writer was 'misguided and abusive', but he could no longer dismiss the views as those of an isolated individual because the CNSA has received many similar abusive letters on other occasions. He said that he regards it as a form of racial hatred, and has written to the Commission for Racial Equality Scotland requesting a meeting to discuss how the organisation should respond.
Mr Macleoid said, 'These sorts of attitudes are extremely hurtful to Gaelic speakers and by denigrating and marginalising Gaelic and Gaelic-speakers, continue to pose a very serious barrier to the protection and preservation of the Gaelic language and culture in Scotland.
'We would not be the least bit surprised to find that the sort of people who hold these attitudes about Gaelic and Gaelic-speakers, also hold similar misguided and dangerous views about other minority groups in society.'
Mr Macleoid cited recent research by Professor Richard Johnstone of Stirling University. The research found that Gaelic-medium education, far from damaging children, was the equal of and in many ways superior to primary education through the medium of English. The children in Gaelic-medium education were also found to have the added benefit of developing fluency in two languages and forming a good basis for the acquisition of further languages.