Professor John Honey misses the point of the conclusions of the research concerning conflict between teachers and African-Caribbean pupils (TES, September 20).
To a very considerable extent, concern up to now over high rates of exclusion and underachievement among African-Caribbean pupils has focused on the pupils.
The finding that teachers’ attitudes may also be a contributory factor is therefore an important one.
Professor Honey is keen that we should recognise that the conflict may, as he puts it, be the consequence of attitudes on both sides. That is precisely what findings such as these suggest.
BRIDGET ELTON 11 Desford Avenue Manchester
