Madam, - We read with interest Patsy McGarry's report on the establishment of a new model of primary school patronage ("Church puts its faith in State-run primary schools", Education Today, March 20th), and we are delighted that the Catholic Church has endorsed the project.
Bishop Leo O'Reilly's support for parents' rights "to establish schools that reflect the values of the home" strike a chord with many parents, both Protestant and Catholic, here in the North, who would love to have their children educated together and, in the bishop's own words, bring together children of "all faiths and none" in one school.
This aim has been at the centre of the movement for integrated education here over the past 25 years.
Wouldn't it be great if we could move ahead together, rather than apart, and if the Irish Bishops' Conference would take the lead here as well and endorse moves towards jointly managed schools, whether church-initiated or otherwise?
I feel this would send a strong signal to all education providers - but more importantly the parents - as we create our shared future together built on mutual respect and trust. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL WARDLOW, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, University Road, Belfast 7.