[Educationforall] Parents occupy school in Lanarkshire threatened with closure

[Wayne Scherer]

http://libcom.org/news/parents-occupy-school-lanarkshire-threatened-closure-26012010



Parents occupy school in Lanarkshire threatened with closure



Parents in Glasgow occupied yet another primary school this week; the

latest in a series of school occupations which have taken place over the

past year.



Taking action in response to proposals to close St. Matthew's Primary

School, five concerned parents barricaded themselves inside the school and

announced their intention to remain there until their demands were met.

Protests have also taken place at three other schools in the area set to

close. These threatened closures are the most recent in a concerted

campaign by councils across Greater Glasgow to shut of schools and

nurseries.



In early 2009, Glasgow City Council announced plans to close at least 13

primary schools and 12 nurseries across the city. The consultations for

these closures have been branded flimsy at best by angry parents who feel

the decision had, in many cases, been finalized before the public

consultation was even finished. Over the past year budget deficits have

led to council cutbacks across Glasgow, with a £75 million shortfall in

North Lanarkshire where St. Matthew's is located. As the predicted cost of

the 2014 Commonwealth Games soars to £454 million, it perhaps comes as no

great surprise that the council is using the excuse of low pupil numbers

and building disrepair to mask their attempts at cost-cutting.



Both Glasgow City Council and North Lanarkshire Council have responded to

parents' protests with threats and intimidation. During the Wyndford

Primary occupation in early 2009, the school's water and electricity was

cut off after a council worker posing as a safety inspector gained entry.

The protest was only able to continue thanks to donations of bottled water

from local residents. In this latest occupation, the parents staging the

sit-in at St. Matthew's were threatened with the prospect of the pupils

being sent to another school because two of the occupiers do not possess a

Disclosure Scotland form.



The tactic of occupation now seems one which is more readily employed

since the closures were announced, with a number of similar actions having

taken place across the city over the past year. Various individual

campaigns have been linked together under the 'Save Our Schools' banner

and local parents have proved that they are unwilling to let these threats

to their children's future go ahead without a fight.

from www.afed.org.uk




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