It is disturbing to learn that racism is still such a major factor in incidents of bullying in the district’s schools.

New figures reveal that 75 per cent of the 344 bullying incidents recorded in Bradford district schools were deemed to be racist.

The figures, obtained by the Telegraph & Argus under the Freedom of Information Act, will make uncomfortable reading for all those connected with schools.

Religion, disability, gender and homophobia are also cited as causes of bullying.

Children singling out others because of differences in appearance, dress or lifestyle is nothing new, and will no doubt always be a problem we have to address.

But its consequences can be devastating, with the victims’ lives sometimes made so intolerable that they can be driven to take desperate measures, and may even consider ending their own life, to put a stop to the bullying.

So anything that can be done to reduce the problem has to be looked at.

This newspaper has argued for years that religious bias in schools can be divisive and it may be that now is the time to consider whether all schools should be secular, with religious worship of any sort kept for the churches, the mosques or the temples.

It should be compulsory to teach our children about all religions equally and that should be combined with teaching about good citizenship and participation in the wider community.

Taking specific faith influence out of school and talking about all religions on an equal basis would at least remove one point of difference in the classroom. No-one is suggesting it would eradicate bullying but it might help reduce religious and racial tensions that can sometimes lead to someone being singled out.