Letter: John Patten's bad example

Sir: As members of the Executive Committee of Human Scale Education of which Tim Brighouse is a patron, we were appalled to read reports of John Patten's intemperate comments. To refer to a man whose life's work has been in the interests of state education and who is widely respected in the educational professions, as a 'madman let loose, wandering around the streets' is beyond belief.

Such views expressed by the Secretary of State are at one with the travesty that is the Conservative education policy. The policy of state centralisation and control should be reversed and the Secretary of State should resign.

Yours faithfully,

FIONA CARNIE

SATISH KUMAR

MARY TASKER

Human Scale Education

Bath, Avon