The Battle to save the Middle Schools
(Parents Against Change)
Hi Everybody
In the few weeks since my last mass email, PAC have been busy looking at the results of the Judicial Review process that Northumberland went through and the actual judgement has given us great encouragement.
The judgement summary states:
"What was not acceptable was the fact that at the third stage of the consultation process, individual school were limited to a consideration of different two-tier models, rather than a consideration of both two-tier and three-tier models."
"Consultation had to be undertaken when the proposals were in their formative stage, and since consultations relating to individual schools had only taken place after the LEA had decided to adopt the two-tier system (parents) had not had an opportunity to express their views in relation to the specific schools that concerned them." (emphasis added)
The judgement goes on to determine that parents had the right to determine the "form that the third stage of the consultation process should take."
In Suffolk's case, of course, there is no third stage -- there has been only one, wholly inadequate, consultation phase. Parents Against Change continues to review its options for challenging the legality of this initial phase. We continue to push SCC to meet their legal obligations and to include the option of 3-tier in the next phase of consultation - I have asked Rosalind Turner to revise and reissue the leaflets they sent out recently to reflect their obligations and not just their wishes.
PAC has received expressions of support in continuing its fight from: the Labour Party group of Councillors, the Lib-Dem and Independent group, the NUT, school heads and numerous school governors.
But meanwhile the opportunity already exists for opponents of the SCC plan to make a difference. It's up to all of us to ensure that 3-tier is included and one of the first ways is to show your displeasure in the forthcoming local elections. There are many PAC members who have decided to stand - good luck to you all - and we have produced a guide to 'PAC Preferred' candidates in each ward on our website.
We appreciate that some of you may wish to be removed from the mailing list - if this is the case, please let me know. If you know anybody who is missing from this list, please feel free to forward this email to your contact circle.
For everybody else, I'd recommend that you continue to check our website as it's been updated to give you the latest information, suggestions of what you can do and of course the guide to candidates in the local elections.
It is really important to remember that SCC have only voted on a decision in principle with a preferred option of 2-tier. It's up to us all to ensure that our preferred option of 3-tier is fully represented at the next stage of consultation - I have asked the question about how parents can get involved and am awaiting a response from RT.
In the meantime, please vote on Thursday and let's give the Conservatives something to think about in the local elections. We are far from finished!
Steve Cowper
on behalf of Parents Against Change