Angry mums' save our school sit-in
ANGRY mums staged an all-night sit-in protest at a Glasgow primary school.
More than 25 parents took over closure-threatened Carnwadric Primary on the south side - and have vowed to keep up their fight to make the council think again.
Education bosses want to shut the 239-pupil school on Capelrig Street and then merge it with Arden Primary at a new building for 360 pupils.
But parents say the new primary will be built next to a motorway and mobile phone mast, and will mean pupils being forced to walk a mile-and-a-half to school.
Campaigners fighting the plans have already submitted a 1600-signature petition to the council.
And yesterday, as the school day ended at 3pm, around 25 parents moved in to occupy the building, carrying sleeping bags and pillows, and waving Save Our School posters.
They headed for the gym, where groups of them took it in turn to spend the night, before finally leaving around 6am today.
The protest was organised by Pauline Gilgallon, chairwoman of the school board.
Pauline, whose daughters Bronwyn, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Romy, 7, are pupils there, said: "We have arranged a shift pattern. It is a peaceful disruption. We are making a statement about the closure of the school.
"I'm optimistic this will work. It's strength in numbers, but the bottom line is closing Carnwadric is about money.
"Even if the council decides to go ahead, we're not giving up."
Former pupil Lynn Wright, 30, was among the protesters.
The mum, whose nine-year-old son Dylan attends the school, said: "We're not taking this without a fight."
And as she left the school today, Sharon Wallace, 55, mum of five-year-old pupil Gemma said: "The parents were taking it in shifts to sit in at the school from 3pm yesterday.
"We were tired but felt as if we had to make a stand."
A decision on the future of Carnwadric Primary and dozens of other schools which are under threat will be made on Thursday.
A city council spokesman said today: "The consultation period has been finished for some time and every single response the council received will have been taken into consideration."
Carnwadric also has a nursery, creche and a Langside College campus.
31/01/06
Copyright © 2006 Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited. All Rights Reserved
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5048424.html
More than 25 parents took over closure-threatened Carnwadric Primary on the south side - and have vowed to keep up their fight to make the council think again.
Education bosses want to shut the 239-pupil school on Capelrig Street and then merge it with Arden Primary at a new building for 360 pupils.
But parents say the new primary will be built next to a motorway and mobile phone mast, and will mean pupils being forced to walk a mile-and-a-half to school.
Campaigners fighting the plans have already submitted a 1600-signature petition to the council.
And yesterday, as the school day ended at 3pm, around 25 parents moved in to occupy the building, carrying sleeping bags and pillows, and waving Save Our School posters.
They headed for the gym, where groups of them took it in turn to spend the night, before finally leaving around 6am today.
The protest was organised by Pauline Gilgallon, chairwoman of the school board.
Pauline, whose daughters Bronwyn, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Romy, 7, are pupils there, said: "We have arranged a shift pattern. It is a peaceful disruption. We are making a statement about the closure of the school.
"I'm optimistic this will work. It's strength in numbers, but the bottom line is closing Carnwadric is about money.
"Even if the council decides to go ahead, we're not giving up."
Former pupil Lynn Wright, 30, was among the protesters.
The mum, whose nine-year-old son Dylan attends the school, said: "We're not taking this without a fight."
And as she left the school today, Sharon Wallace, 55, mum of five-year-old pupil Gemma said: "The parents were taking it in shifts to sit in at the school from 3pm yesterday.
"We were tired but felt as if we had to make a stand."
A decision on the future of Carnwadric Primary and dozens of other schools which are under threat will be made on Thursday.
A city council spokesman said today: "The consultation period has been finished for some time and every single response the council received will have been taken into consideration."
Carnwadric also has a nursery, creche and a Langside College campus.
31/01/06
Copyright © 2006 Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited. All Rights Reserved
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5048424.html
rudkla - 31. Jan, 19:12
