Anger at decision made to close all Fife schools

Parents wanted closures on school-by-school basis

All Fife schools remain closed today – prompting anger from parents who felt the decision should have been taken on a school-by-school basis.

With Fife Council resources focused on trying to reopen secondary schools as a result of the impending S4 to S6 exams, schools across the kingdom were asked to rally their local communities to make playgrounds, paths, entrances and car parks as accessible as possible.

And local people throughout Fife answered that call in their droves, with young and old taking up snow shovels and pitching in.

Nevertheless, Fife Council took a blanket decision last night that all secondary, primary, nursery and special schools will be closed for yet another day for safety reasons, despite the incredible efforts of volunteers throughout the kingdom to clear away snow.

Carrie Lindsay, executive director of education, said the decision was taken in the interests of pupil safety, with so many pedestrian routes and school bus routes still inaccessible and severely affected by snow and ice.

Staff are expected to attend, if not at their own school then at their nearest available school.

“This is not a decision which has been taken lightly and we have weighed up all possible scenarios before coming to this decision, pupil safety has to be our main priority,” she said.

“I am acutely aware of the need to get our children back in the classroom to continue their learning and to allow our parents back to work.

“The efforts made by some school communities yesterday and today have been amazing and hugely appreciated. These efforts will not go to waste because they will allow us to get our schools opened sooner.

“We have gone to great lengths today to try to at least open our secondary schools but the sheer size and diversity of Fife has made this impossible.

“Even within individual schools the travel arrangements for different sections of the community have been so varied it is unfair to expect children to attend.”

One sterling example of teamwork came in Cupar as a couple of dozen parents responded to recently appointed Castlehill Primary head teacher Lisa Gilroy’s appeal via the school association Facebook page and cleared the many accesses across the sprawling school grounds in an hour or so.

But that type of scenario was replicated right across the region – only for those efforts to end in frustration. Meanwhile, people in Benarty joined forces to clear a snowbound road so the body of a care home resident could be removed with dignity.

It was just one example of the community spirit shown since the ‘beast from the east’ struck.

People from all walks of life were picking up their shovels in streets the length and breadth of the county to do their bit.

Cul-de-sacs have largely been left untreated, but social media has been full of examples of neighbours mucking in to free snowbound cars and clear driveways to allow life to go on.

Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor Alice Mcgarry said: “Perhaps the most wonderful example of community spirit was in Benarty where the community cleared a whole street to allow the body of an elderly resident of a care home to be removed in a dignified manner by hearse. Had a wee tear at that.”

Lochgelly, Cardenden and Benarty councillor Mary Lockhart described two off-duty Fife Council care assistants as “selfless stars”, noting that the pair showered, washed and made breakfast for an elderly couple who don’t have a care package but who are experiencing exceptional difficulties due to the weather.

She said: “I had only heard about ‘wartime spirit’ from older folk who remembered those days.

“Now I am seeing it in action.” Michael Kellet, director of the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Safety is an absolute priority and we thank the public for their patience as we do all we can to ensure vital care continues both locally and across Fife.

“Heroic efforts are being made by all those who make our health and social care services tick including drivers and support staff walking miles to ensure essential deliveries such as medication reach vulnerable people in the community.”

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I had only heard about ‘wartime spirit’ from older folk who remembered those days. COUNCILLOR MARY LOCKHART

Pictures: Steven Brown. Top: residents start to unearth their vehicles buried under snowdrifts in Cardenden. Above left: this car in Craigside Road, Bowhill, is barely visible. Above right: Frank Hailstones, Ian Wood and William Wallace helped free Courier photographer Steven...