Sunday, November 30, 2008

THE PEOPLE V THE SNP - THE BATTLE FOR SOUTH PRIMARY - WHO CARES ABOUT THE FUTURE ?

The parents, staff and children of South Primary School are still standing, still defiant, make no mistake about it the SNP/Lib.Dem. administration in Renfrewshire Council and the education officers did not expect resistance of this kind. The campaign to save the school has been to every corner of Renfrewshire and beyond, it cornered Alex (the spiv) Salmond in Glenrothes and now intends to chase him to his Bute House bolt hole in Edinburgh after he reneged on his promise to visit them at the school. It has been gratifying to see the struggle these people have put up, to watch them grow in confidence and determination as they boldly refused to buckle before the might of Renfrewshire Council and the SNP led administration who intend to close their school, this is local politics at it’s very best and it is not party political, it is community politics and it has stunned the SNP/Lib.Dem councillors who are now in full retreat from the campaigners.


These administration councillors have been conspicuous by their absence, they are afraid to face the parents and kids, they have even banned the advertising of councillor’s surgeries to make life more difficult for the campaigners to see their councillor, they have hidden from the consultation meetings, they went missing when the protest march visited council headquarters, they refused the school permission to display the children’s work and achievements, what does this tell us ? Well you could suggest many things, are they cowards ? absolutely, are they hiding ? no doubt about that, have they got a clue what they are doing ? not really. I believe that the biggest problem that these councillors have is the fact that the protesters have managed by dint of their hard work and zeal to shine a very unflattering light on the powers that be; because the public are firmly on their side. This is due to their diligence at getting their argument across, they have massive support and the SNP know that, hence their absence, “let them turn and flee” someone once said.

There is no one out there who does not have a locus here, I’m 60 and my children are long out of school but, my grandchildren haven’t started yet, how many of you out there are in the same position ? how many of you have nieces and nephews who are in the education system in Renfrewshire ? how many of you have small children who live around you, some at school and some not yet started ? they are the important ones, not me or you but them, they are the future, nothing is more important than this and don’t make the mistake as some are doing by saying “my school is OK” because it’s not.

There is a principle at stake here; do you believe that money can be found to prevent this closure? I do, is education vital, well? I also fear for the future of other schools if they get their way and close it, anyone who thinks that this will not impinge on them or their families or neighbours or just on any children at all are taking a risk, think of children you might never meet or see, they also are important, that’s what separates us from other creatures, we care about others, we are prone to being collective and we should be proud of that.


To those who have not been concerned by this struggle; I ask you to start by considering the children, all children, whether you have children at school or if you have had children at school in the past. What would you be doing if your children were in South School ? consider also that the director of education to his credit had the courage and integrity to state that we have 10 primary schools too many, consider also that South Primary is not the lowest attended school other schools are in a poorer situation, that is, if you take the SNP/Lib.Dem. definition of what a poor situation is and believe me, that situation to them is about money not the children, if I were a parent with kids in school in Renfrewshire I would consider it vital to familiarise myself with the facts, ask the questions, contact the campaigners and, having done so,
I WOULD DO WHAT I CAN TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH PRIMARY CAMPAIGN.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it true that there are 100 children in a school built for over300 ?

As someone with children in another Renfrewshire school. I am glad the South School is being considered for closure. Why should I pay to have a school that is two thirds empty kept open ? I want my taxes spent on effective well run schools.

If it's such a great school why don't more local parents send their children to it ?

Anonymous said...

Its going to get worse before it gets better.

A mate of mine works in a school in Renfrew, apparently they are cutting their budgets again next year. It was also reported yesterday that some Renfrewshire teachers are even buying their own pencils from Poundland.

Vote SNP & get a poundland education. I think our kids deserve better than that.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the many comments about SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL,the people of Paisley must stand up to the SNP/LIB DEM, you are right SOUTH is the first of many schools to close. John Rooney has 10 schools to many so what school will be next(AND THERE WILL BE).Do the councillors who are making this ridiculous decision have children at school,do they even care about the children(NO). Any parent who have children at school would do the same as the SOUTH SCHOOL PARENTS...FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT... what give's them the right to send the children to other schools..A parent thinks long and hard about where they want there children to be educated(primary+secondary) so to have that taken away from the children+parents is ridiculous.HOPE THEY HAVE A HEART WHEN THEY ARE AT YOUR MEETING ON THE 18TH DECEMBER AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE......THINK OF THE CHILDREN+THERE FAMILIES NOT THE PENNY PINCHING MONEY.

Anonymous said...

Terry,

How many schools have a lower % roll against capacity than South Primary in Renfrewshire

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 30/11/08
I have been involved in school closures before, most long serving councillors have, during these campaigns I have heard all kind of arguments and seen all kinds of protests but, one thing I have never heard or saw is a parent from another school advocating that the school under threat should close.

I believe that you choose anonymity because you have your own agenda, that is to support the SNP, either that or you are a very rare person indeed, someone who wants’ to close someone else’s school, it’s not very subtle and quite embarrassing for your SNP apologists.

First the smears against the parents and now the bogus comments against them, nationalists reverting to type.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 11:14
Here is a challenge for you anonymous, go and find out the relevant figures for yourself, they are a matter of public record and, if I’m wrong you can come back to me and I will admit that I’m wrong.
I reckon that’s goodbye for good.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Oakwood) 01/12/08
You are right, It is going to get worse, more budget cuts are coming and teachers are paying for education materials from their own pockets.
These points were all mentioned on Sunday in an article in the ‘Scotland on Sunday’ newspaper, not a Labour leaning paper. And one of the councils included was Renfrewshire.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 01/12/08
Your points and the points of the South campaigners have been well made, my fear is that the decision was made a long time ago, I hope I’m wrong and they see the merits of the South School case, it’s quite simple really, (put the children first)

Mr. Rooney’s reference to 10 schools too many is one that should give all parents cause for concern, this is not a figment of the campaigner’s imagination, this is a fact.

Anonymous said...

I have just read in the PDE a comment made by Cllr Cameron in response to Wendy Alexander. The bold Cllr Cameron explains carefully that research indicates that children do better when educated in a smaller class. This is in direct contradiction to what Cllr Cameron told those attending the consultation in South primary, when she smugly remarked thatincreasing class sizes would "not be detrimental to children's education"
That is, as they say in Scotland,a right brass neck.

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

(Anonymous) 11/12/08
Along with many others who were talking about this in the council I read the PDE article you refer to, people were speculating about why she has almost nothing to say and wondering if she actually disagrees with her Party’s policy, in this case she has certainly reversed what she had to say at the meetings.

Perhaps it’s the obvious pressure she is under, that and the fact that she is making it more and more obvious that she is completely out of her depth. How else do you explain the almost complete silence from the Education Convener on an education issue which is exercising so many people and is as they say the “talk o the steamy”

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

THE PEOPLE V THE SNP - THE BATTLE FOR SOUTH PRIMAR... (2)
I recently came across your blog and have been rea... I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.


Sharon

Cllr Terry Kelly said...

Sharon

Friday, December 12, 2008 2:09:00 PM
Thank you for those kind words.