Encourage difference (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Encourage difference

8:38am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Readers' letters By Telegraph & Argus

SIR – A serious discussion can be had about racist and other bullying in schools; also about whether all schools should be secular. But confusing these two issues, as your editorial of January 30 did, lacks logic.

Bullying takes place in virtually all schools. Have you any statistics to back up your implied claim that teaching of one particular religion increases bullying, racism, or discrimination?

Most faith schools in this city are Roman Catholic. You imply that they are mono-cultural. If so, you are badly mistaken. They contain a remarkable cross-section of ethnicities – including a large proportion of Muslims. And, have you any evidence that there is more bullying in these schools?

I believe that in the non-religious schools, children are taught about all religions equally: by your argument, this ought to mean there is less bullying in these schools. Is this the case?

I would welcome a discussion about the appropriateness of faith schools in today’s society, but let’s not use the irrelevant issue of bullying to urge your particular view over this.

You appear to wish to eliminate “point(s) of difference in the classroom”. What kind of uniformity are you promoting? I say: vive la difference!

A Michael Murphy, Wainman Street, Baildon