Dear Editor, I wished to take issue with the comments that Supt Tom Coughlan made with regard to Holte School. (Birmingham schools in denial over gang violence, council told)

As a teacher I have had the pleasure of working with students at Holte School during a project last year and I can not help but feel anger at Superintendent Coughlan’s comments. The children at Holte School as I remember last year were very pleasant, well mannered and a credit to the school. They are high achievers and the school itself has a fantastic level of contextual value added. Ofsted described the school as “an oasis in a jungle”. The school statistically achieves as well as most standard middle class schools.

I am also led to believe that Supt Coughlan has never stepped foot in Holte School and I believe his comments to be very much idle speculation fuelled by predjudices towards working class children. Better still totally false.
RYAN MAXWELL
by email

Dear Editor, I would like to express my dissapointment at your article regarding schools. I found it to be a gross misrepresentation of youngsters in schools across Birmingham. I was especially appalled by the fact that you “named and shamed” Holte School in Lozells (not Aston) in particular.

Being a teacher myself, and having visited Holte School on a number of occasions, I found your reported comments attributed to the Supt Tom Coughlan laughable.

The pupils there are pleasant, and I dare say that the supterintendent has never actually met any of the kids in person. Having met the pupils at this school myself I can attest that they are just like any other kids, and are no more likely to be involved in gangs than anywhere else in the country. I feel that the supterindtendent’s comments are ill-informed and he has made a gross generalisation by labelling these kids “gangsters” solely on the basis that they are from the Lozells area. This undermines the ambitions and pride of the pupils, the teachers and the local community.

I feel you should urge the superintendent to retract his comments and/or issue an apology for making such comments which are totally unfounded.
SHAHID HUSSAIN
by email

Dear Editor, As a member of staff at Holte School I was angered and dismayed to read the comments in your newspaper attributed to Supt Coughlan.  These comments have done a great dis-service to  the young people I am proud to work with.  Rather than aspire to be members of gangs, our children aspire to be decent and productive citizens.  Everyday I see firsthand the fantastic efforts of both pupils and staff to achieve academic and personal success.

The problem of gang culture is a complex one and sensationalist headlines and soundbites contribute nothing to its solution. Your article only served to stigmatise a school and local community which deserves and expects more from its local media.
Miss T WHITTINGHAM
by email

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Dear Editor, On Tuesday October 7 I went to watch Highgate United play West Bromwich Albion in the Birmingham Senior Cup. I was looking forward to seeing some good football played with the passion and enthusiasm of youngsters, not yet tarnished by the false grandeur of professional football.

How wrong I was. I regret that I have never come across a more ill-mannered, arrogant bunch of wannabes than the officials and staff representing the Albion.

The language and constant barracking and abuse issuing from these people was a disgrace. The referee’s assistant had to warn them on several occasions and, at one point, even threatened to have one of them sent from the dug-out.

At the conclusion of the match, the officials of the club then decided to take their team straight home without waiting for any post-match hospitality, despite knowing that Highgate had put on extra food, etc. for the WBA players and officials. The club were well aware of these arrangements and had given no indication that they would not be participating in after match socialising. This may mean nothing to a “big” club like Albion but, to a club like Highgate, on little or no income, it is an unnecessary drain on their very limited resources.

As a Blues fan, I used to have a soft spot for Albion and always viewed them as a friendly, community-conscious club. Now I am not so sure and can only hope that the young lads move on to other clubs as soon as possible, thus escaping the negative influence of Albion’s arrogant, supercilious officials.
CHRIS JONES
by email