Bigotry claim in school place row
Parents claim a plan to reserve places at a top school for children who have been baptised Catholic has led to bullying and bigotry.
St Ninian’s High in Giffnock, near Glasgow, is at full capacity.
But some parents claim that East Renfrewshire Council’s proposal to ask for baptism certi f icates to manage demand for places at the Roman Catholic school is “breeding hatred”.
Nabeel Shaikh, former genera l secreta r y of Glasgow Central Mosque whose daughter attends a feeder school for St Ninian’s, said: “East Renfrewshire is a diverse community.
“It’s a great strength that people of many faiths – Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Sikh and Hindu – come together on a daily basis while they drop off and pick up their children.
“This proposal puts that at risk. It’s breeding hatred and breaking bonds.
“The idea non- Catholics are no longer welcome in the school is filtering down to the children and horrible things are being said in the playground.”
The council’s director of education Mhairi Shaw said use of baptismal certificates to manage demand wasn’t new in Scotland.
She added: “There will still be places available to children of other faiths and no faith in our Roman Catholic school.
“Only in cases of oversubscr ipt ion a re we proposing to use new criteria for managing places.”