WE are not sure what Brian Stowe (Your Letters, April 9) means by "declining liberal Humanist state".

During the last 25 years the country has, after all, been led for much of the time, by two overtly Christian prime ministers - Mrs Thatcher and Mr Blair.

As Humanists, we can assure him that we are equally concerned about the behaviour of a significant number of young people today. We are also very concerned about the behaviour of a growing number of adults who think nothing of attacking medical staff and teachers.

Humanism also requires a commitment to moral standards and it is time that it was included with the teaching of religion in schools. A significant number of children, no matter how much they are indoctrinated, will reject religion based on revelation and should be made aware that there are many people living ethical and responsible lives without religious or superstitious beliefs.

We have a great respect for what the Victorians did for us. Brunel, Darwin etc are legends. But there was a darker side, which kept the mass of the population in its place. One of our mothers, a practising Christian born in the late 1880s, had a fear of the workhouse which lasted well into the 1950s and was much stronger than her fear of hell which was never mentioned.

Brian Stowe does not actually say how he would strengthen the sanctions against unruly children. Presumably he would reintroduce corporal punishment but surely this cannot be justified while it is not part of the punishment for those adults who commit heinous crimes.

R & D ATKINS, Manby Road, Malvern. (Members of the British Humanist Association).