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The truths they don't want you to read....

Friday, March 26, 2010

Castlebay school

This site is still banned in the school as the Comhairle avoid discussion in favour of ostrich-like behaviour.

I am told that the depute-head at Liniclate has been sent to Castlebay on a mission-critical trouble-shooting exercise.

I wish him well, although some of the parents seem less sure of his abilities.

The biggest problem seems to be the failure of the Comhairle to understand and appreciate the extent of the feeling of the pupils and parents, and by downplaying those feelings they have aggravated the situation. The walkout by pupils is wholly symptomatic of this. As is the "unfit for purpose" description of the Comhairle by Cllr Manford.

I don't know the rights and wrongs about the education in the school (other than blocking the options for debate is wrong!) but the sheer volume of comments, even allowing for multiple posting by some people, indicates the depth of the problem.

What I do know is that the current approach is not working, and the Comhairle need to properly engage with the community to sort this out.

The recent press statement from the Parent Council with a call for intervention by the Education Minister is completely justified, and its savage - but measured - condemnation of the Comhairle is unanswerable.

Whether it produces any results is debatable. This doubt is emphasised, by the silence of every elected representative listed by the Parent Council, other than Cllr Manford - 3 other Councillors, 1 MP and 1 MSP are posted missing.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you.
I think I seen them last heading to Timbucktoo!!!!!!! Do Highland Airways fly their?

Anonymous said...

Isn't Manford trying to have it both ways by saying the Comhairle Education Dept is 'unfit for purpose'?

You could argue he's played his own role in the shambles.

Wasn't he on the committee that appointed the present Headmistress - much against the wishes of many of the parents?