The die is cast. The final proposals for the future of education in the district have been published - with few surprises for this area.

There has been some tinkering at the edges, but in essence the plans are not far removed from the originals for a return to the two-tier system. Yet instead of an all round agreement, after some tough negotiations, there is still a level of disagreement tinged with a whiff of arrogance from certain quarters of Bradford Council.

Whatever happened to compromise?

Cllr Susanne Rooney, deputy chairman of education, is still speaking in treacle-laden, spin-doctored terms filled with platitudes. "We have consulted widely, we have listened to what local people had to say, we have discussed issues with heads....." and so on. Decisions, no matter how unpleasant, have to be made and a return to a two-tier system is long overdue. But in the case of Oakbank and other schools, where much time, effort and energy have been expended on alternative ideas, where are the in-depth details and reasons for rejecting their proposals?

The review team may well have listened and studied these ideas, but why have they been turned down? Those involved have an absolute right to be given detailed blow by blow answers and a justification for the action.

Cllr Rooney says the time has come to look to the future, and she hopes that we can all work together to make the new system a success and give our children the best possible education. Talk about stating the obvious! Such comments will only become a reality when a true binding agreement and not an imposed solution has been reached.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.