With regard to your headline School Allocations Leave Tom And Kelly All Alone (Evening Press, April 26), my sympathy is very much with Tom Shaw and Kelly Lumley and their parents.

More than 30 years ago my late husband and myself were involved in a similar incident.

My son, who is diabetic, was refused a place at Hempland Infant School, Whitby Avenue, off Stockton Lane, although it was a stone's throw from where we then lived. The brothers and sisters of any child already at that school would be given a place, but not my son.

We had to trail to Tang Hall Infants School, on the way passing children from that area going to Hempland Lane School.

My husband and I did everything we could including writing to the minister of education who passed the buck to Northallerton (as it then was). No one in our area would back us.

They were afraid of rocking the boat. It seemed then, as it is now, a case of: "I am all right Jack."

I never forgave the education authority for their lack of sympathy and compassion.

Hopefully, Tom and Kelly will fair better than we did.

Mrs Jean Scott,

Hull Road,

York.

I was appalled to read about young Tom Shaw. How can the education set up be so heartless and bloody minded to treat a young scholar like this?

They tell us to vote Labour next month. If this is the way our council acts, no more votes for Labour from me and many other caring people. It's no good the parents protesting and pleading, they will not take one bit of notice of them.

Bruce G Laird,

Chaloners Road,

Dringhouses.

I am delighted for the children who have succeeded in gaining places at their local school through the appeals process, but the arbitrary nature of appeals decisions raises two concerning issues.

First, the unsuccessful children. It would appear that individual circumstances have had little to do with appeals results, or how well a parent argued their case. The sole deciding criteria appears to have been whether the school originally allocated was on their original list of choices. If not, certainly in the Fishergate/Fulford area, the appeal was successful.

Therefore some children living further away have gained precedence over those living closer. This was not the object of our campaign.

Second, each successful parent was informed that the presence of their child would seriously prejudice the education of all pupils as the school would now be overcrowded.

This is not a new experience for Fulford School. In light of this, extra accommodation must be provided. That way all pupils can gain the education they deserve at their local school. I urge all parents whose children will be in year seven at Fulford in September to voice their opinions and concerns about this situation.

Jane Hartas,

Alma Grove,

Fulford Road,

York.

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