POLARISED: I WOULD agree with your leader that the academy debate in Darlington has become dangerously polarised.

I have tried to follow the arguments from the beginning, however, and I don't think it is fair to suggest that both sides should bear equal responsibility for the poisonous exchanges.

From the beginning, it has been clear that a minority of Hurworth parents have been prepared to make outrageous and unpleasant statements in pursuit of their goals.

Their Internet message board has been littered with allegations against council employees. The more outlandish and ridiculous the claims, the better it has seemed.

For whatever reason, The Northern Echo has been prepared to turn a blind eye to these nasty undercurrents and has given the protestors apparently unlimited space to further their ends.

What is needed now is for the whole town to understand what is at stake here and get involved. We now know the agenda of the Hurworth campaigners is to close Eastbourne, but only take a fraction of the children as a result.

It may not only be the parents of Eastbourne who stand to lose if there is no comprehensive school serving the whole eastern side of the town. - Simon MacDonald, Darlington.

FREEDOM

I READ "Public service DVD launched" (Echo, Dec 9) to help all residents whose first language is not English, then council leader John Williams goes on to say "I believe that everyone has the right to access public services".

If this is so, why then is the council refusing to answer any of my questions under the Freedom of Information Act, despite the Information Commissioner stating it is wrong to do so.

Then, as I get nearer the truth, they simply throw another loop hole at me.

Then, to add insult to injury and belittle my intelligence, they decide to hold an internal investigation to appease me.

However, this review is to be carried out by the very people who are witholding that information .

So I was wondering if Mr Williams would answer my questions if I submitted them in a language other than English? - Ian White, Hurworth.

BROCHURE

I HAVE no intention of entering a tit-for-tat argument, but J Black's comments (HAS, Dec 10) cannot pass without comment. Contrary to his letter, in terms of information, all Share (Save Hurworth and Rural Education) have ever asked for is that the council put transparent and complete documentation in the public domain, to allow all interested parties to make informed decisions.

The "glossy brochure" to which I referred is a full colour booklet posted by DBC to all parents at Hurworth (and presumably Eastbourne) with an enclosed letter from Margaret Asquith.

This booklet does not provide the full and complete information needed for informed choice and is little more than a sales pitch for academies.

Without the availability of complete information this document, (and the zip file displays in the school foyers demanded by DBC) represents a huge waste of money, money better spent on educating our children.

Mr Black's reference to computers and whiteboards is undeserving of comment. - Ian Holme, Hurworth.