Academy: We pick up the bill

Bishop Tim (First Person, November 7) intervenes in local politics to claim privileges for his church.

I trust the teachers at Samworth Academy to do their best by their pupils, but should this be in a state school whose building includes the local parish church, that displays a big cross and that prominently declares itself a Church of England school? And just how is this a Church of England School? As with all faith schools, pay and almost all building costs come out of our taxes.

The Church is asking us to pay for it to run our schools. It already runs one quarter of them and more are on the way – nearly 40 of them will be academies. This is serious in itself and is setting a pattern for others.

Our schools should be places that we all share and contribute to, they should not privilege any group.

Allan Hayes, president, Leicester Secular Society.