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<a rel="nofollow" href="http://libcom.org/news/parents-occupy-school-lanarkshire-threatened-closure-26012010">http://libcom.org/news/parents-occupy-school-lanarkshire-threatened-closure-26012010</a><br>
<br>
Parents occupy school in Lanarkshire threatened with closure<br>
<br>
Parents in Glasgow occupied yet another primary school this week; the<br>
latest in a series of school occupations which have taken place over the<br>
past year.<br>
<br>
Taking action in response to proposals to close St. Matthew's Primary<br>
School, five concerned parents barricaded themselves inside the school and<br>
announced their intention to remain there until their demands were met.<br>
Protests have also taken place at three other schools in the area set to<br>
close. These threatened closures are the most recent in a concerted<br>
campaign by councils across Greater Glasgow to shut of schools and<br>
nurseries.<br>
<br>
In early 2009, Glasgow City Council announced plans to close at least 13<br>
primary schools and 12 nurseries across the city. The consultations for<br>
these closures have been branded flimsy at best by angry parents who feel<br>
the decision had, in many cases, been finalized before the public<br>
consultation was even finished. Over the past year budget deficits have<br>
led to council cutbacks across Glasgow, with a £75 million shortfall in<br>
North Lanarkshire where St. Matthew's is located. As the predicted cost of<br>
the 2014 Commonwealth Games soars to £454 million, it perhaps comes as no<br>
great surprise that the council is using the excuse of low pupil numbers<br>
and building disrepair to mask their attempts at cost-cutting.<br>
<br>
Both Glasgow City Council and North Lanarkshire Council have responded to<br>
parents' protests with threats and intimidation. During the Wyndford<br>
Primary occupation in early 2009, the school's water and electricity was<br>
cut off after a council worker posing as a safety inspector gained entry.<br>
The protest was only able to continue thanks to donations of bottled water<br>
from local residents. In this latest occupation, the parents staging the<br>
sit-in at St. Matthew's were threatened with the prospect of the pupils<br>
being sent to another school because two of the occupiers do not possess a<br>
Disclosure Scotland form.<br>
<br>
The tactic of occupation now seems one which is more readily employed<br>
since the closures were announced, with a number of similar actions having<br>
taken place across the city over the past year. Various individual<br>
campaigns have been linked together under the 'Save Our Schools' banner<br>
and local parents have proved that they are unwilling to let these threats<br>
to their children's future go ahead without a fight.<br>
from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.afed.org.uk">www.afed.org.uk</a><br><br>
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