Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
I won’t send my sick son Tommi back to his school
The mum of a Buchanan High pupil who suddenly lost his sight during his first year at the school says she is disappointed in the independent review report.
Plains resident Josie Morgan raised concerns after son Tommi suddenly developed an ulcer on his right cornea last October, which robbed him of his vision; while medical tests showed he had three times the normal levels of arsenic in his system.
She says she would “gladly” send the 13-year-old back to Buchanan High if the pupils and staff were decanted to alternative premises and is waiting to discover what comes of the current NASUWT strike at the school – but says that her son currently has “no school to go to”.
The report states that “arsenic was not detected at elevated levels in the water supply ”and that “there is no causal link”.
Josie told the Advertiser: “The report references Tommi, although not by name, saying that there’s an ‘alternative clinical explanation ’for his blindness; I’d like to know what it is.
“I don’t know where that came from – our doctor doesn’t know at this point so if there’s an explanation, I’d like it disclosed to me and immediate treatment started as there’s no diagnosis at the moment.
“So far I’ve emailed John Swinney and the chief medical officer and am trying to speak to public health.
“The report lists other things like foods which can affect arsenic levels but he doesn’t eat any of those.”
Josie said of the wider independent review report: “I don’t think it’s in-depth enough; for example, they should have made time to do more tests on the membrane and properly test all that was required to restore trust and faith.
“I don’t believe they’ve addressed the concerns of people.”
With Tommi again staying at home on today’s first day of term, Josie said: “I’m still hoping they’d decant to a safer area, rather than a strike potentially putting school off for a month.
“If the school was decanted I’d send him gladly – I’ve no issues with the teaching staff or school as Buchanan is fantastic and Tommi loves it, but there needs to be a safer environment.
“However, I’ll never send him back to that campus, it doesn’t matter what they do. Nothing can convince me and I’m not willing to take the risk.
“I’ve been looking into other schools but haven’t had a chance yet to see what’s suitable or look into transport, and I don’t want to rush anything or jump the gun until I know what’s happening at Buchanan.”
Teachers at both St Ambrose and Buchanan who belong to the NASUWT resumed strike action on Monday as the union “continued their consideration” of the report.
Officials sent questions about its content to North Lanarkshire Council on both Friday and Monday, and were seeking a meeting with the authority as the Advertiser went to press.
Acting general secretary Chris Keates said:“The strike action at Buchanan and St Ambrose remains in place as scheduled.
“Our experts and legal counsel are examining the site report and we are awaiting their advice on the next steps.
“We have also posed some interim questions to the council and are waiting for answers to those.”