‘Why change now?’... Notre Dame High pupils take their views on school’s future to councillors
PUPILS from Notre Dame High School sent a clear message to politicians yesterday – don’t change our school.
Teenagers from the all-girls secondary gathered outside Glasgow City Chambers with placards declaring their feelings about a bid to open Scotland’s last remaining state girls school to boys.
One sign read: “Empowering girls for 122 years - why change now?” while another declared: “We are not ovary-reacting”.
After holding their demonstration, the girls handed a petition to Chris Cunningham, City Convener for Education, Skills and Early Years.
A statement from the group said: “We have a great ethos, encouraging everyone to try their very best, and this helps make us amongst the highest performing Catholic schools in Glasgow. “We do not believe it should change.”
City politicians will take a decision about Notre Dame’s future on November 28.
A public consultation had nearly 5000 responses.
Some 39.9 per cent voted to keep the status quo, 13.4 per cent said they would want to keep the school single sex and expand the catchment area and 45.9 per cent of respondents said they would like to make the school co-educational.
A spokeswoman for the Notre Dame 4 All campaign group, which wants to make the school mixed-sex, said: “We understand that the prospect of letting boys go to Notre Dame High is unsettling for some of the pupils and we would always commend the pupils for voicing their opinions. At its heart, this has been a campaign about inclusion – opening the doors of our local catchment high school to all children.
“Because, in 2019, it is wrong for a child’s gender to be a barrier.”
Councillor Chris Cunningham, City Convener for Education, Skills & Early Years, said: “The pupils were exercising their democratic right to make their voices heard and I accepted their petition.
“As we’ve said before, the final decision will be taken at the City Administration Committee on Thursday, November 28.”
Pictures: Jamie Simpson