Veil is not a problem

Re the choice of some Muslim women to wear the veil. Following the recently expressed views of Jack Straw, who wishes any Muslim woman to remove her veil while speaking to him in his surgery, people seem to be coming out of the woodwork to express their views.

The one story that caught my eye was the teaching assistant suspended for wearing her veil in the classroom. If this is as big a problem as some people make it out to be, why wait till now to suspend the assistant? Surely this school's policy should have made clear to the employee at the interview stage. My own view is that I would have no problem with a Muslim women wearing a veil while teaching children. I am only concerned that she is good at her job. I would also have no problem with speaking to anyone wearing a veil, as I am speaking to a person and not an item of clothing.

Robert Parsons, New Pool Road, Cradley Heath.