Caution is needed on free school provision (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Caution is needed on free school provision

8:51am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Readers' letters By Telegraph & Argus

Sir – Racism in Bradford schools has been an enduring issue. However, 85 per cent of bullying at schools in the academic year 2009-10, as reported in the T&A (January 30) is a shocking figure. It is a clear indication of the limited success of local policies on community cohesion.

In 2009, 36 primary schools and eight secondary schools in Bradford had mainly (85 per cent-100 per cent) black and minority ethnic pupils (BME); and 70 primary and six secondary schools had mainly white pupils.

All schools with mainly BME and mainly white pupils are predominantly single-faith schools.

Given this kind of ethnic composition of local schools, any sort of integration or cohesion is difficult to achieve. Despite a state of apparent ‘peaceful co-existence’, genuine community cohesion in the city has not happened. One way to reduce religious and racial tension is to make all schools secular, as suggested in your editorial. With the Government’s new policy of free schools, I will not be surprised to see a significant number of applications from different faith groups to set up their own schools.

This development, however politically attractive it may look, must be supported cautiously. Because it is likely to have a serious negative impact on community cohesion, it will choke the mainstream schools for resources.

Dr Ramindar Singh MBE, Chatsworth Road, Pudsey