A RECENT hard-hitting Fair Point column - 'the knuckle-dragging grotesques' - by reporter James Connell caused quite a stir, including an angry response from local headteacher Neil Morris, who claimed youngsters were being unfairly maligned.

For balance, we suggested to Mr Morris that not only would we print his response, we would also print one from his pupils to let their voice be heard.

Below are the letters from Mr Morris and some of his pupils, and James's own response to the criticism of his piece.

THE PUPILS

ARE all Germans Nazis? Are all terrorists Muslims? Are all teenagers chavs?

Which of the above questions do you find most offensive?

Hopefully, all three, because we’d hope to have moved away from stereotypical judgments that have followed certain groups of people for generations. We teenagers are used to it, but it’s very unfair.

James Connell’s attempt to raise hackles and gain readers is lazy and unfair, like all arguments based on stereotypes.

There is only a minority of teenagers that behave in the way Connell describes in his piece, but isn’t there a minority of unsavoury behaviour in every age group?

As teenagers ourselves, and among our wide circle of friends and classmates, his report just doesn’t ring true: we are not morbidly obese; we are not all pregnant and underage, nor do we wear tracksuit bottoms and smoke.

We engage in activities in our free time: sports, charity events, Duke of Edinburgh awards, as well as the ‘crime’ of socialising with our friends.

Connell has made extreme assumptions about teenagers but hasn’t taken the time to talk to any of them and find out what they really think.

He has focused on only one area of town; he has overheard one thing and thought that it applies to every teenager. Very lazy journalism!

Not all teenagers swear or use slang and, contrary to Mr Connell’s assumption about how teens are schooled these days, we are taught Standard English and we know when to use it!

As teenagers, we know that there are very positive aspects to our lives, both in school and out; aspects that should be acknowledged and not criticised.

So, as far as we are concerned, in his opinions of teenagers, James Connell seems to have no respect, no fear and no shame.

Worcester News: Christopher Whitehead Pupils

THE PUPILS (L to R): Emily Kingswell, Melissa Southwood, Chris Fry, Jordan Webb and Sophie Shepherd
Year 11, Christopher Whitehead Language College

THE HEADTEACHER

Worcester News: Neil Morris I WAS shocked and saddened by this article that was a stereotypical misrepresentation of “rattylooking teenage chavs” and the domination of Worcester city centre by the “knuckle-dragging grotesques on show”.

This simplistic, prejudicial, one-sided language would get a grade D GCSE English and does Mr Connell or your paper no credit.

Please accept our open offer to you and your staff to once again spend a day at our school meeting young people who are determined to succeed.

Neil Morris, headteacher at Christopher Whitehead Language College

THE COLUMNIST

Worcester News: Photograph of the Author I’M genuinely baffled by the shock this column caused.

Neil Morris, headteacher at Christopher Whitehead, would give it a ‘D’. I would give him a D for his letter.

He clearly did not read the piece properly and almost wilfully misses the point.

It was a long time ago when I sat my GCSES (1995 if memory serves), well before grade inflation robbed these qualifications of their inherent value.

I achieved an A in English language and an A in English literature, an A in A-level English and a high 2:1 in English from the University of Sheffield.

Also, where did I malign Christopher Whitehead or its pupils? When did I say all teenagers were ‘chavs’? I said ‘a minority’ very clearly.

These are basic English words which he has not understood. This is misplaced outrage.

The column has been called one-sided. Of course it’s one-sided. It’s my opinion, not a news article in which I have some obligation to be balanced.

This month I met a student who survived a cardiac arrest and is now raising money for others like him, others who have painted a sexual assault referral centre in Bransford to make it better for the victims of these horrific attacks and courageous Bobby Barnes, the 19-year-old man who was born a woman.

Of course young people can be dynamic and inspirational.

Mr Morris’ personal attack is lazy and poorly informed.

Worcester News reporter, James Connell

Who do you think is right?

Was James' column one-sided and misrepresentative of Worcester?

Or are the schoolchildren and headmaster fooling themselves if they think his column 'doesn't ring true'?

Whatever your view, vote in our poll and use the form below to let us know...