SIR – Regarding your article Discrimination Threat, (Comet, May 18) we note your report on the current consultation regarding the future of free transportation for pupils to faith schools in Hertfordshire, and the headteacher of John Henry Newman School s

SIR - Regarding your article Discrimination Threat, (Comet, May 18) we note your report on the current consultation regarding the future of free transportation for pupils to faith schools in Hertfordshire, and the headteacher of John Henry Newman School's reported remarks. This letter represents the view of the North Herts and Beds Humanists.

Whilst we respect the views of all minorities - including religious ones - we do not necessarily agree with them, and segregating young children into religious ghettos always makes us apprehensive. No one is saying that those who want subsidies want to divide our society, but the fact is that segregated schools can lay the foundations for the kind of social fracturing suffered in many parts of the world, and where people end up killing each other.

Add to this the fact that these schools will not only reject children on religious grounds, but can deny employment to teachers for the same reasons, and you will understand our objection to subsidising these schools.

The comment about discrimination against faith schools is frankly garbage. What about discrimination against non-faith schools? Isn't it iniquitous when non-faith schools do not get the same treatment? The whole community would be paying for this, remember.

If parents want this arrangement for their children, they should pay for it themselves, and not come cap in hand to the rest of us, special payments to help maintain minority schools is unfair, and runs against the interest of everybody else.

We should spend the £3.4 million on education, not religious bias.

DAVID BRITTAIN

Secretary

North Beds and Herts Humanists

Biggleswade Road

Potton