SIR: Your correspondent Andrew Berry is right - there is too much swearing and lack of respect from young children these days. But why do schools always get the blame?

I am an experienced primary school teacher. I teach my children to read (yes, really!) I teach them a love of books and of the English language. I teach them to write neatly and spell correctly and to take a pride in themselves and their work. I teach them to play the guitar and the recorder and the discipline of singing together in a choir. I teach them to be polite and to respect other people.

I teach them countless other things, but I can assure Mr Berry that swearing and bad behaviour are not among them, and that any incidences of these are dealt with swiftly and firmly.

So please don't always blame the teachers. Most of us really are doing our best to ensure that the children we teach will, despite the many other influences of today, become literate, numerate, considerate citizens of tomorrow.

Alison O'Brien

The Cheethams, Blackrod

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