Letters to the Editor

The centre has been collaborating with Baroness Uddin, Lord Ahmed and the government working party in enabling local women to tell their stories. There is absolutely no doubt on two points.

Firstly that forced marriages are still taking place. Mr Hussain may not regard compelling a girl to concede to her parent's wishes to marry as a 'forced marriage,' but he flies in the face of the government in not seeing this as a violation of human rights.

The government states that 'A forced marriage is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of both parties, where duress is a factor'. Also, 'People who force others to marry often commit serious criminal offences in doing so. There have been prosecutions for threatening behaviour, assault, kidnap and murder associated with cases of forced marriage.'

Secondly, women and girls in Keighley are too afraid of the emotional and physical repercussions from their family and community, to make public statements about their situations.

However, all women talk. They are talking widely in Keighley, more facts are being presented to the people that they trust. The government's report highlights the role of women's organisations. The working group 'has been impressed with the quality and effectiveness of service that many women's groups have been able to provide to victims of forced marriages with such limited resources.'

If Mr Hussain is genuinely not aware of the situation, he must draw his own conclusion.

JEAN O'KEEFFE,

Co-ordinator, Keighley

Women's Centre.

SIR - Being keen walkers, my wife and I spend most of our days walking on the moors above Haworth.

Sadly I have to report that the well known beauty spot of Penistone Hill is now turning into a graveyard of burnt out cars - not much of an advert for the tourist industry which is not having an easy time.

I take on board that abandoned cars cannot be removed straight away, but at the last count there were at least five burnt out vehicles, two at the main entrance which have been there for at least ten weeks.

Surely something must be done otherwise we are going to finish up with a scrapyard.

WINSTON GRATTON,

Butt Lane, Haworth.

SIR - We have been told by two of our grandchildren that Silsden's learner pool is to close.

Do the people who have made this decision know why local people, including the late Kendal Mellor, swam Lake Coniston to raise money for the appeal to pay for the pool? They put so much effort into this because of several tragedies when local children drowned in the canal.

Since the pool was provided there have been no more tragic drownings in the canal. We would say to our councillors and parent governors - Let us keep it that way.

MR J AND MRS A

BRADSHAW,

Laithe Close, Silsden.

SIR - How saddened I was to hear that Mr Roberts would not teach my grandson if his parents bought clothes from another shop, rather than Firths.

How cruel he was to tell a child she wasn't welcome because her clothes weren't good enough.

The wrong shade of black - where will it all end? Will children with the wrong shade of eyes be turned away next year by Mr Roberts?

Headteachers and governors should be people who we can respect. Oakbank's are a disgrace. The children of this town deserve better.

M P CARTER,

Goose Cote Lane, Oakworth.

SIR - The blazer issue .. the year is 2000 not 1900, Oakbank needs to be moving into the future not holding onto the short pants, flat cap and satchel days. Next it will be introducing caning and pointed 'dunce' caps. Probably not a bad idea for a minority of the organisation team at Oakbank, and yet there are a million shades of black and countless varieties.

This is what your 'pathetic' moaners are trying to put across to the headmaster of Oakbank. Parents should be working with the school, not against it as appears to be what is happening.

Come on Oakbank, you have more goalposts than Wembley.

JOHN DOUGLAS HAWLEY,

Exley Road, Keighley.

SIR - I read with interest the statement from John Roberts in Friday's letters page concerning blazers for Oakbank. Mr Roberts has, I must say, been somewhat economical with the truth when he states that a public meeting was called with parents to talk about the issue in question.

The only reason 12 parents turned up was because only a few who had written to Mr Roberts and Mr Curtis were invited to attend.

Nobody else turned up because it was not made public knowledge to the vast number of parents who would no doubt have attended.

Is Mr Roberts aware of the statement by education secretary David Blunkett, reported in the press on 2/7/00, that head teachers cannot exclude pupils from education because they are not in uniform.

The report goes on to say that the government would not change its policy and all schools had been sent a circular to this effect.

Also is he aware of forthcoming EU legislation stating that forcing children to wear uniforms is an infringement of the child's human rights and the child will be able to appeal to the EU Court of Human Rights about any attempt to make them wear a uniform?

Finally, I just wonder what would happen if all the new pupils turned up not wearing a blazer, after all we do live in a democratic society, or has John Roberts forgotten this or has his ego got in the way of the fact he should be educating our children and not wasting time on what our children should wear?

D MACE,

Staveley Way,

Ingrow.

SIR - Re the constant complaining which has been going on over the Oakbank blazer. These parents should think themselves very lucky, as I would give anything for my son to be able to wear the Oakbank uniform in September.

As it stands, because of the reorganisation of the education system and because my son doesn't attend one of Oak-bank's feeder schools I have been unable, even through appeal, to secure my son a place - even though he has an older brother there.

I know the most important thing to me is my child's education and not whether he wears a blazer or a sweatshirt. Surely the attitude some parents have taken will rub off on their children and leave them with no respect for their new school or the uniform they wear.

If these parents feel so strongly about this why don't they send their children to a school which has a uniform to suit their requirements (whatever they might be) thus freeing places for children like my son who would then be able to attend the school of this choice and of course wear the blazer with pride.

MRS ALLISON WEIR,

Wimborne Drive, Keighley.

SIR - Your readers may like to know that the Oakbank governors are making good their offer to consider help for those suffering financial hardship in buying the Oakbank uniform. Since middle schools have already closed this is the best way I can communicate with them. Those parents who wish to take up the offer of £20 for each student need to provide proof that they are in receipt of working families tax credit, family credit or income support. They would then be given a cheque to be taken to Firths.

A school signatory will be available at the school Monday-Thursday July 24-27; Wednes-day August 16, Thursday Aug-ust 17, Monday August 21, Friday August 25, Wednesday August 30 and Thursday August 31, 9-11am.

JOHN ROBERTS,

Head, Oakbank. School

SIR - In recent years various 'governing bodies' have sought the opinion of 'the people'. First the LEA lobbied parents on the question of two or three tier education. The majority of parents preferred to keep the three tier system. The LEA ignored this and brought in a change to the two tier system.

Next, Oakbank governors balloted parents of children due to go up this year as to whether or not blazers should be introduced. Most voted a resounding no. Governors claimed the ballot was not binding and insinuated this item of apparel onto the list of required uniform.

In last week's KN it was reported Bradford Met are to ballot tenants on whether they would prefer their homes to come under the remit of 'other agencies' or stay with Brad Met. The result is... oh sorry, telling the future is not my forte. I do, however, have a strong feeling of deja vu.

Will Brad Met go with the preference of its tenants, or is this simply another expensive way of appeasing the people and letting them think that their opinions matter?

P SPENCER-CAIRNS,

Woodhouse Road, Keighley.

Headmaster marks end of

an era Page 11