Congratulations on giving such substantial coverage to the important issue of whether young children can be racist (TES Magazine, October 24).

It is interesting to note that the distorted description of the court case mentioned (a 10-year-old boy accused of calling a fellow pupil “Paki” in 2006) has been explicitly countered in a recent book, Racist Incidents and Bullying in Schools: How to Prevent Them and How to Respond when they Happen, by Robin Richardson and Berenice Miles.

The authors compare the news coverage with what actually happened - persistent bullying and physical attacks over several months. In view of the media distortions, the judge in the case apologised for his hasty judgment.

Against such unrefuted media attacks, The TES article shines a positive light on the reality of so many children’s lives.

Jane Lane, Advocate worker for racial equality in the early years, Reading, Berkshire.