Friday's Letters: Myth and truth for teachers with rowdy pupils

He dismissed as "a myth" the notion that they are prevented from doing so: I wonder, which particular category of myth Mr Balls had in mind – Socratic or Niebuhrian?

I know a teacher who (quietly and calmly) escorted a persistently disruptive eight-year-old boy by the arm to a different seat in the classroom, in order that he might be a nuisance no longer. A week later, this teacher was interviewed in a police station and facing a possible assault charge – all with the explicit approval of the school's vindictive head and the local education authority.

Eventually, the police concluded that there were no grounds for prosecution. However, the LEA and the head decided to impose a verbal warning which was overturned on appeal by the school governors. Nevertheless, the teacher concerned found the whole affair intensely traumatic: his experience is hardly unique. If the idea that teachers cannot physically restrain badly behaved youngsters is indeed (as Mr Balls asserts) a myth, then it is a myth that requires an entirely new classification.

May I suggest, a "Ballsian" myth – which is to say, one that can alternate between being true and untrue, entirely at the behest and convenience of its creator, and without regard to evidence?

From: Robert Bottamley, Thorn Road, Hedon, East Yorkshire.

Why I can no longer vote for the Tories

From: Mrs Penny Ebden, Harefield Close, Eastburn, Keighley, West Yorkshire.

HAVING been brought up in a staunchly Conservative household, I continued the habit when I married. When Ted Heath took Britain into the Common Market, as it was then, my father said that if being a member helped to keep peace in Europe, he was in favour. I had to agree.

That was a long time ago and reasons for being part of the European Union are different but I still feel it's to our advantage to be fully committed to membership – the Liberal Democrats seem to be the only ones I relate to on this.

And what of the Shadow Chancellor? My opinion is best left unprinted but suffice to say I agree with Tom Richmond (Yorkshire Post, April 3). Vince Cable is the only Treasury spokesman to utter common sense on the economy – or anything else for that matter.

I'm amused by any party who claims to be able to "find" funds by reducing waste and introducing efficiency measures. They are actually admitting that Government departments are wasteful and inefficient in the first place.

So, sorry dad, I'm jumping ship – but I rather think you'd be alongside me if you were here.

Hunt spectre rises again

From: Andy Jackson, Earls View, Sutton in Craven, Keighley.

AS a nation, we stand at the dawn of a new era with the election called, but at the same time, teeter on the very edge of regression. I obviously refer to the Hunting Act, which at this very moment is threatened by repeal.

We call ourselves a nation of animal lovers. We live in a multi-cultural society, embracing our fellow man yet, seem ready to "kowtow" to the wishes of a few sick sadistic individuals who are eager to persecute our native wildlife in the name of sport.

We rape our planet of its natural resources almost to the point of our own extinction. But, we learn from our mistakes, we encourage change in everyone and we move forward to a more sustainable future, yet at the same time, we seem willing to take a step backwards to re-legalise acts of barbarism against our fellow creatures.

What does this say about us as a society? What message is this giving to our children? What legacy are we leaving for the future?

Don't we all as individuals, have the right to see our native wildlife in its natural environment without it been hounded to death by the "horsemen of the apocalypse" accompanied by packs of baying hounds crying for blood? The Hunting Act was designed to protect our wildlife from these groups of deluded individuals, who appear to want nothing more than to seek pleasure in the suffering of others.

Even with the Hunting Act in place, the countryside still remains a very dangerous place for all animals. What many people don't realise is that some areas are littered with deadly traps such as snares, hidden from our view, just waiting to inflict terrible pain, injury and even death on unsuspecting animals.

But its not only our rural fox populations that are under attack. Urban fox populations are facing an increasing threat from criminal gangs,

who hunt and capture them, then use them in organised fights with dogs.

Decent people once stood as a beacon, calling to the majority of the population who find cruelty to animals especially upsetting and unnecessary, when conducted by an insane minority, in the name of

sport.

Our voices were heard, and hunting with dogs was resigned to the history books. Unfortunately, it is time for our voices to be raised in unison once again.

Question of respect

From: David H Rhodes, Keble Park North, Bishopthorpe, York.

MAY I respectfully pass comment on the Editorial comment (Yorkshire Post, April 6) headed "Winning respect"?

I appreciate where your are coming from and the logic behind your thinking, however, consider the scenario from Johnson Beharry's perspective and for the position he was put in.

I would have recommended a salute as an accepted respect for the

uniform and position, but not necessarily for the man.

Most military personnel do this every day as a matter of course. Bodily contact in the form of a handshake, embrace, etc with a person you dislike is an intrusion into "your space" and must remain that person's individual choice, "to do or not to do."

In everyday life I can choose. If I found myself in the company of someone I was indifferent to, I could nod in their direction to acknowledge their presence, but definitely nothing further. Are we to

deny Lance Corporal Beharry this option?

Thatcher's downfall

From: R Billups, East Avenue, Rawmarsh, South Yorkshire.

WHEN old age takes hold, memories get tangled and you start losing it. Sir Bernard Ingham is in the same boat as are a lot of us old 'uns with memory loss. The community charge (poll tax) was hated by and protested by Conservatives in their thousands in the South. This was the beginning of the end for his beloved Maggie (Yorkshire Post, March 31).

I was told in 1987 that if Margaret Thatcher was still PM in 1992, Labour would win. Her errand boy was too busy dreaming of a knighthood to be watching her back or he'd have told her the poll tax was political death. The Tory voters in their hordes marched through Tory country protesting well before the 1992 march in London.

Mrs Thatcher was a liability. She had to go. Her style was irritating and the poll tax was the final straw, so the knives went in, while Bernard dreamed of the sword resting on his shoulders.

Let's have some more understanding of pensioners

From: Miss M Taylor, Spring Bank West, Hull.

I ENJOY the Yorkshire Post, with its down-to-earth approach on most matters.

Sadly, Sarah Freeman's report in relation to pensioners (Yorkshire Post, March 30) shows she has little understanding of our lives.

How dare she describe us as "a silver-haired army intent on bringing the country to its knees," especially in the wake of bankers'

travesties and MPs' misdemeanours with finances.

Our generation rebuilt a country left in disarray after several years at war. It was ration books, waste not want not and serious hard work following the bombs and destruction that took place.

What seems always to be overlooked by our young nubile critics over and over again is the fact that we paid money in for our pensions and to the National Health and many paid into other pension schemes.

On retiring, we multi-task voluntarily. We are a solid foundation stone in keeping the country "in working order", being on duty for our

younger family members who strive to live up to the pressures of

society by earning a living and creating a future for their own children.

Many carry out other useful duties in the community and otherwise.

Sarah Freeman needs to focus on her generation who are paying in now for their future pensions. We are the solid "savers" not the credit clowns so let's have less back-biting, please. Most of all, remember time stands still for no-one.

Long history of circuit training

From: Ron Farley, Croftway, Camblesforth, near Selby.

I READ the article "Short bursts of training better than hours on the treadmill" (Yorkshire Post, April 6) with interest.

I am 81 years of age and was an RAF physical training instructor from 1947-1959, when injury forced me to re-muster to a more sedentary trade. During that time, more than 50 years ago, we were introduced to, and put into our training schedules, circuit training, or as it was also called, interval training!

So, as your article infers, it is not something new. And, if I remember correctly, it had originated in Canada.

Maybe former PTIs like myself can corroborate this?

Special pleading

From: John Blakey, Park Villas, Leeds.

I FOUND Ann Cryer's special pleading frankly nauseating (Yorkshire Post, April 6). MPs get 65,000 a year, that puts them in the top 10 per cent of earners in this country.

The rest of us have to get by on a lot less, and pay our own fares into work. She wants even more money for a house near Parliament. Otherwise she might have to travel by taxi or even the Tube, like the rest of us, the poor thing. Well, don't the cleaners have the same problem?

I bet most of them are female. I bet they have to use the Tube to get to Parliament. You could solve the problem of not enough female MPs by making them peers. Or why not a virtual Parliament and turn the House of Commons into an hotel?

Not bowled over

From: MD Addy, West Street, Hoyland, Near Barnsley.

ON a recent visit to Meadowhall in Sheffield, I went to an art gallery. On sale were "paintings" by Michael Vaughan, hitting or throwing paint-covered cricket balls against a canvas. Prices ranged from 299 to 599.

I cannot imagine the likes of Sir Jack Hobbs, Don Bradman or our own hero Len Hutton doing this. I also find it galling that a Lancastrian would think Yorkshire folk daft enough to buy these "works of art".

Road misery

From: Pat Howarth, Barwick-In-Elmet, Leeds.

AS a regular traveller from Leeds to Scarborough on the A64, it was no surprise to read of the misery on Good Friday (Yorkshire Post, April 3). It does not matter how much you spend on the Hopgrove roundabout, it still goes into a single carriageway. Traffic jams are inevitable. Whoever thought up this expensive fiasco should be sacked immediately – and without a golden handshake.