So children mix sporadically in the early classes, but rarely stay long enough in school to forge deep or broad links with their settled peers. Because Travellers remain apart as an identifiable, visible group, the settled community does not know them as individuals. They are judged as a people and the faults of the individuals become the sins of the whole people. The negative public face of the Travellers - supplicants, drunk, needy, is judged to be representative of them all. So a vicious circle of mutual ignorance, misunderstanding, misinformation and prejudice is created, recreated, reinforced and sustained.
Travellers are different.
Settled people who believe these differences will be blurred by stuffing Travellers into house are very wide of the mark. Travellers say they want to continue with many aspects of their way of life they have carried on for centuries, but they also wish to be accepted and understood. They feel mutual understanding won't begin until there is a forum, where Settled and Travellers could meet. This could be a formal, organised, regular meeting where each would listen to the other's point of view. Most Travellers say they are happy with their way of life.