As a student at York Sixth Form College (or "York College"), I have followed the recent newspaper coverage of the merger with York College of Further and Higher Education with alarm.

I find it worrying that in this day and age and in this country, popular opinion has been suppressed and the vital other side to the argument ignored. Throughout, the merger has been portrayed as a glorious union, spearheaded by the triumphant Mike Galloway, that will benefit everyone and that is enthusiastically supported by all.

I notice that what the recent supplement on the merger (Evening Press, March 31) did not reveal was that many teachers actually wore black on the last day of York Sixth Form College as we know it.

As a student, information regarding the merger is limited to me, but I do know that the board responsible for the decisions is made up of local businessmen and ambitious managers, not one of them a teacher or a parent.

At the meeting between the management and the teachers a few months ago, many teachers conveyed well argued opposition to the proposals only to find that actually the decision had already been made.

All attempts to voice concern have been suppressed and boycotting of lessons forbidden.

For years the two colleges have worked harmoniously but separately to provide two different specialist approaches to learning and many teachers genuinely believe that this is most effective.

It is difficult to see the point or the benefit in York College of Further and Higher Education swallowing up York Sixth Form College to make one vast and complex organisation. Except, of course, one man's salary.

C Hayes,

Main Street,

Fulford,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.