SIR - My family moved from Thorpe Edge to Ravenscliffe seven years ago and I have always sent my children to Parkland Primary. In fact I recently accepted a place for my youngest child to start his education in September (he is currently in Parkland Nursery).

The LEA have made a mistake by reopening Thorpe Primary School. Why should my children's education possibly be disrupted as a result of this?

I currently have two children in Parkland and two older children who have happily passed through it. My youngest will be starting his full-time education there in September. The LEA gave me, as a parent, the right to choose where my children receive their education. Are they now taking that right away from me?

Parkland Primary is an excellent school. In fact it is not just a school or a place to study. It has been a part of my family for the last 10 years.

We all have a voice and a right to choice. Let's demand it! Don't let them destroy our school to cover up the mistakes the LEA have made.

Miss S Gale, Thackeray Road, Ravenscliffe

SIR - Along with more than 10,000 others I attended the Trade Justice Movement's mass lobby of Parliament on Wednesday, June 19. Despite the lobby being a resounding success in terms of numbers present and number of MPs directly lobbied there has been scarcely any coverage in the national press - why not?

Is it that any mass rally that does not involve at least some degree of violence is not considered worthy of coverage, or is it that the press simply didn't like the message? Either case is disturbing to say the least - the former sending out a message that violence is not only an accepted form of protest but is required if you want to have your voice heard.

The second alternative is possibly even more worrying as it suggests that the 'quality' press is now all in league with the big multi-national companies and that Big Brother is not just an inane TV programme!

Bob Jowett, Idle Road, Bradford 2

SIR - I would like to know why Bradford Council says it will fund Odsal Stadium on health and safety grounds.

I remember the same Council stating in the T&A that under health/safety rules they could not afford to keep old people's homes open so they closed them and pulled others down. Does this not show that councillors think of football/rugby before the elderly?

If this is passed for Odsal all elderly should show this Council what they think So come on all retired people, and fight for our rights.

J R Smith, (Retired People's Action Group), Flawith Drive, Fagley.

SIR - As your readers may already know, ChildLine - the UK's free 24-hour helpline for children and young people - is sadly only able to answer around a quarter of the 15,000 attempted calls to its 0800 111 helpline every day.

There is a very simple and easy way for your readers to help raise funds for ChidLine. It won't cost a penny - just a few minutes of their time. BT is sending customer surveys to each of their 19 million residential customers over the course of this year and have promised to donate £1 to ChildLine for every one that is filled out and returned.

Already BT customers have helped to raise more than £500,000 for ChildLine and more surveys will be dropping through the letterboxes this month. It costs ChildLine an average of £32 to counsel each child, so £500,000 could help us provide comfort, advice and protection to more than 15,000 children and young people.

Each of your readers who takes the time to return their BT Consumer survey, or fills it out online at www.bt.com/yoursay, will be helping ChildLine reach more children in your area - young people who desperately need our support, comfort and protection.

Esther Rantzen ,above, chairman, ChildLine, Studd Street, London, N1.

Sir - Hamayuun Arshad reports that Asian parents hunger for mixed schools. On the Bradford edition of Question Time a few months ago, Estelle Morris preferred to ignore the views expressed by the audience in order to reassert the position of the Government (and the EPP) that monocultural schools are OK because they all teach the same National Curriculum.

This theory, that monocultural or monofaith schools are consistent with an inclusive society, is flatly contradicted by the data from Northern Ireland, among others.

However, political expediency dictates that councillors maintain their fiefdoms in our separated communities, and don't discuss shibboleths such as 'no bussing'.

The establishment theorises children as passive vessels into which correct attitudes can be poured. Socrates, for whom education was a dialogue, would value school students as active co-creators.

Inclusivity in practice would allow children, by working and playing together, to synthesise and build a new, common culture. This parent thinks a culturally mixed, secular school is the best guarantee of social and religious equality.

Isabel Cooke, Hazelhurst Road, Daisy Hill, Bradford 9

SIR - Re Sarah Walsh's article on "New Flagship School Comes Under Threat" (T&A, June 22).

I find it incredible that councillors are prepared to close down plans for a flagship school, despite evidence that the CTC is an unprecedented success, because of their concerns that the school is driving excellence.

The article states that the CTC generates excellent results and has nil exclusions. This means that children behave, learn, enjoy themselves and are successful. How can a merger with a school that is said to be failing not be controversial?

This is another example of councillors such as David Ward pretending to have the interests of

children's education at heart when the reality is entirely political.

It is time Bradford celebrated success. The CTC is successful because the teachers, children and parents make it so - not because of interfering, politically motivated councillors such as Ward and Peter Lloyd, who suggests that "a lot of people in the education system in Bradford are disgusted by the idea of an academy".

Incorrect. A lot of people in Bradford are disgusted by our leaders' inability to grasp the opportunities presented to them and apparent preference to drive education in Bradford to the lowest level.

D Bartle, Worple Way, Rayners Lane, London

SIR - It is 40 years this year since I left Frizinghall School. Through the website friendsreunited I have made contact again with several classmates from my time there. A few of us have organised a reunion for former pupils and any former staff of Frizinghall up to and including 1963.

The reunion will take place at The New Tyke, Thornton Road, Bradford, on Wednesday July 17, from 8pm onwards. Everyone is welcome.

For further information contact Barbara Simpson (nee Hewlett) on Bradford 590918 or Kenny Hickey, on 879024.

Barbara Simpson, Hirstwood Crescent, Shipley