YOUR report on Saturday (Schools at rock bottom) is not only shocking in its revealing of the state of schools in Oxford and the county, but also in the response from the county councillor responsible for schools.

Parents of children in education should be horrified and demanding answers.

For councillor Michael Waine to reportedly be at home with his family when a report of this importance is released probably shows what he actually thinks of his duty and responsibility to those children and to education in Oxfordshire.

The statement he released is clearly lacking any substantial response to a serious problem.

The fact that neither he nor anyone else could be bothered to answer the questions the Oxford Mail put to County Hall just adds to a feeling of lack of confidence in Mr Waine and the education department.

I would hazard a guess that if the reports had been the opposite, and the schools were at the top of the list, that the phones in all media offices would have been ringing off their hooks and Mr Waine would be stumbling over himself to get in front of a camera.

And what of our publicity-shy county council leader?

Keith Mitchell has been filling these letter columns with written jousts with anybody who dares to raise an opposing viewpoint or criticism.

He is quick to put himself in front of cameras and microphones to preach doom and gloom and prepare us for the worst, dishing out blame to the previous government and the present one.

But here is a problem that is the responsibility of his administration, laid squarely at the front door of County Hall, and the silence is deafening.

His response is no doubt to go to speak to Mr Waine but, oh yes, sorry, he’s at home with his family and here is a brief statement from him.

Let us hope that both these men show some responsibility and respond not only to the media but, more importantly, to parents, who will feel badly let down by them over their stewardship of Oxford’s schools.

Jim Wade, Ridgeway Road, Risinghurst, Oxford