It may well be that the recommended return to a two-tier education system throughout the Bradford area is the right and proper thing to do.

The Education Authority's review team has spent more than six months investigating the best way forward and has consulted at least 20,000 people. They have a very solid foundation on which to build their suggestions which will bring the district into line with almost all of the rest of the country in terms of the National Curriculum.

Understandably concerns are being raised, especially in this area, over the impact and disruption which will follow in the wake of the proposals if rubber-stamped by the full council next week.

Some schools will close and some teachers may have to look for work elsewhere. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

However, what has to be questioned is the way in which the review team's report has been released. It is right and proper that we have open government and that such a major report is aired in public as soon as possible.

But to release only part of the story is unacceptable and the situation has a distinct whiff of politicking about it. For example, the review suggests between 50 and 70 will have to close - but which ones? They will not be named until the end of the month. Why?

Campaigns have begun to lobby councillors before next week's meeting, urging them to reject the plans. They argue that no conclusive evidence has been produced, nor have they seen any cost benefits analysis.

The pessimism of most heads that the recommendations already have the tacit approval of the controlling Labour group is more than justified.

Education committee chairman Jim Flood is already on record as saying that anyone wishing to challenge the officers' recommendations will have to be very sure of their ground. A veiled threat! So much for democracy.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.