Last week, it was claimed by a leading academic that the terms “Sir” and “Miss” are both depressing and sexist  and in addition addressing a female teacher as “Miss” gives her lower status than her male counterparts.

Really? I would have thought that both titles are a sign of respect for the teachers and are necessary to help create an attitude of discipline in the classroom enabling pupils to work hard, acquire knowledge and prepare for life in the adult world.

As for the term “Miss” being sexist, that’s absurd. It may well be a long time since I was at school but I certainly don’t remember having any less respect for my female teachers simply because they were addressed differently than male teachers. There may have been  more fear of male teachers because they could throw a piece of chalk harder and could cuff you round the back of the head more painfully but that was probably the only difference!

This is just more politically correct nonsense from the same sort of people who refer to a chairman as a “chair” because the word “chair” doesn’t offend or exclude women. I’ve often wondered, do these “chair” lovers still refer to people as human or merely hu? What a crazy world we live in!