Letter sent to the Cambridge Evening News 8/9/05
Published
I am writing again to complain about the vindictive and intolerant way in which the CEN continues to slant and misreport stories in order to scape-goat Cambridgeshire’s traveller communities. The front page story “Gypsies go back to school . . . and its costing £240 a week” (CEN Wednesday 7th Sep) was the latest in a tirade of articles that seem intent on mixing up completely different issues in order to portion the blame on travellers.
Scores of children across Cambridgeshire are transported to schools outside of their catchment’s for a host of differing reasons, often without the children’s best interest at heart. I would welcome an exposé on the widening hole in front line education funding and resources that has resulted in places not being available in local schools. However, under the current editorial team the CEN seems less interested in looking at the bigger political picture choosing instead to pick on travelers. The CEN seems hell bent on driving a wedge between communities and blaming the effects of government policies on individuals and families. My sympathy and support goes out the family exposed on the front page yesterday and the staff at Histon and Impington Junior school who’s new term challenges have now been made more difficult by this irresponsible reportage.
Published
I am writing again to complain about the vindictive and intolerant way in which the CEN continues to slant and misreport stories in order to scape-goat Cambridgeshire’s traveller communities. The front page story “Gypsies go back to school . . . and its costing £240 a week” (CEN Wednesday 7th Sep) was the latest in a tirade of articles that seem intent on mixing up completely different issues in order to portion the blame on travellers.
Scores of children across Cambridgeshire are transported to schools outside of their catchment’s for a host of differing reasons, often without the children’s best interest at heart. I would welcome an exposé on the widening hole in front line education funding and resources that has resulted in places not being available in local schools. However, under the current editorial team the CEN seems less interested in looking at the bigger political picture choosing instead to pick on travelers. The CEN seems hell bent on driving a wedge between communities and blaming the effects of government policies on individuals and families. My sympathy and support goes out the family exposed on the front page yesterday and the staff at Histon and Impington Junior school who’s new term challenges have now been made more difficult by this irresponsible reportage.
Labels: Unite/Anti Racism
