REGARDING the dilemma of Mr Britcliffe, parents not wanting their children to be educated at Edge End or Barden in Burnley, and have set up their own school.

Why are the real reasons for this problem not being addressed. Could it be because people do not have the courage to stand up and tell the truth?

In our towns and cities Asian people choose to live among people who have the same racial, religious and cultural identity. This is perfectly natural and understandable. I, as a white English Christian, am no different. I cannot, therefore, understand how 'forcing' different races, cultures and religions together in our schools can be expected to work without resulting in a kind of reaction we now see from the Briercliffe parents.

I can understand why the parents would not want their children to go to a school where they would effectively be an ethnic minority, forced to be isolated and alone in an environment which would be alien to them. A child that is not happy will not learn.

S SMITH, Burnley Heritage Centre, St James Street, Burnley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.