Anger over schools merger

Hundreds of Paisley school children were being treated as second-class citizens – it was claimed.

The statement came from Sam Campbell, chairman of the National Committee for Nondenominational Schools, as he launched a scathing attack on the Roman Catholic Church, we reported in April 1979.

Mr Campbell claimed that regional authorities were“herding”children from nondenominational schools into one school to make way for Roman Catholic children.

He said that this was being done without consent.

And he held up the planned integration of Maxwellton and West Primary schools in Paisley’s west end as a prime example.

“Hundreds of children are being moved against the wishes of the parents and the school councils and against the interests of the children,”he said.

“That is a second-class citizen situation. It appears that it’s now the policy of regional education committees and the Scottish Education Department to move children from the nondenominational sector into overcrowded conditions in order to provide accommodation for Roman Catholics.

Regional Councillor Janey Buchan, who was involved in the west end reorganisation, responded:“We had massive consultations with the parents about the Maxwellton scheme.”