The only thing preventing the infiltration of schools by proselytising religious fundamentalists is the staunch defence of a head teacher strong enough to raise the drawbridge as these groups approach the school gates, brandishing their religious observance (RO) invitations from the Scottish Government ("School heads removed in row over radical Christian helper", The Herald, September 13).

As long as RO remains, every child enrolled in Scottish state education will be at risk of religious indoctrination and every parent will be held at the mercy of the personal beliefs of the head teacher.

This situation is incompatible with what citizens in a modern democracy should expect.

State education exists to serve us all, without delivering favour or disadvantage Unless RO is removed, we can expect to see the events at Kirktonholme Primary in East Kilbride repeated in other schools throughout Scotland. Respect the child - remove RO.

Veronica Wikman,

63 Malleny Avenue,

Edinburgh.

I am glad that the creationist tutors have been removed from Kirktonholme Primary, if only because virtually everyone now accepts that the world was not created a mere 4000 years ago.

At the same time, I hope Darwinism is not being taught, even by default, as is often the case in schools.

Any secondary pupil who has looked through a microscope at a plant or animal cell knows a great deal more about the cell than did Charles Darwin, who never saw the quite thrilling contents and structure of such a cell and thus was only guessing (rather wildly) about function, reproduction and development.

The absence of intermediate species and the static nature of fossils over periods of millions of years is a terrible blow to Darwinists.

And so may I suggest that the question remains open, rather than being stifled by a threadbare theory which is well over 100 years old?

James A Findlay,

76 Dundas Street,

Edinburgh.