18th Apr sos rally at end of 15 days of occupying 2 primaries threatened with closure pt 1

Local people and campaigners gather to cheer on those who 15 days earlier entered 2 of the educational buildings in the local area threatened with closure by the council. The elementary school campaigners slept on the floors of two of their local primaries which are among 25 schools including nurseries earmarked for closure by the council in an attempt to save money. Relatives and local supporters gave up their Easter holidays to sleep on school floors in an effort to prevent the closures. They chose the Easter holidays to minimize disruption to the children's education which is a lot more considerate than Glasgow City Council who would disrupt the kids' whole lives and education by sending them to far-off unfamiliar schools which can be frightening and intimidating for small children. In some areas like Barmulloch the kids would have to walk past what local parents have described as the biggest asbestos dump in Europe to travel to the nearest school if their primary closes. Larger class sizes have proven to give poorer academic results. Large classes in themselves are intimidating for many children, never mind having to travel to a new place where other children will already have formed social groups and where the newcomers will feel like outsiders. As it has been said "Twenty's plenty in a class." On April 18th 2009 after the campaigners marched out of the schools to great applause and chants of "Wyndford, St Gregory's will never be divided", campaign organiser Richie Venton introduced various speakers including parents and people who work with children. All of the speakers were very critical of the New Labour council, especially of council leader Steven Purcell, and various other councillors who have showed their contempt of the people of Glasgow in both word and deed. The message was loud and clear: that Labour will be collecting their P45's and signing on the dole unless they listen to the people. This is part one of the video of the event.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• sos
• rally
• no cuts
• education cuts
• Maryhill
• G20
• demo
• heroic
• campaigners
• defiantly
• exit
• elementaries
• primaries
• nurseries
• Save Our Schools
• campaigning
• Scotland
• council
• P45's
• dole
• ecoles
• primaires
• maternelles
• TrishMaryHill
• video

[TrishMaryHill]

Thanks. Yes, large parties and particularly the Labour council are too complacent and arrogant, knowing that many people just vote for the same party all their life, like supporting the same football team, whether they are good or not. But politics is not supposed to be a game, its about peoples lives. From what I hear, people have now had enough. Many of the Save Our Schools campaigners had voted Labour all their lives but no more!

[patchandfluff1]

my wee school barmulloch was part of that now its closed down :( *sniff* now i have to go to a diff school called st gilberts(well barmulloch now)

Bye bye Barmulloch ill miss u

[akava77]

Best of luck with the campaign. I hope the Labour councillors in Glasgow watch this, pay attention to the people they represent, not their party leaders and vote against the school closures, otherwise they might be out of a job at the next election. For years now Labour have taken voters in Scotland for granted at council level, Holyrood and Westminster and enough is enough.