Island rejects ‘wasteful’ school reform
Iona has urged Argyll and Bute Council to halt its ‘damaging’ school reform, saying the ‘vague’ plan is ‘colossally wasteful’.
Iona Community Council (ICC) consulted the island regarding Argyll and Bute Council’s proposal to ‘put schools under the control of executive heads’. Now, it says it ‘entirely rejects this proposal in principle’, saying: ‘Contrary to the council’s bald claims about “empowerment” and “equity”, it proposes to remove power, autonomy and ownership from the front line of our schools and communities.’
A hard-hitting statement from the ICC mirrors many of the concerns around the region.
Its statement says: ‘The council wants to impose on each school a “white elephant” post of head of school, whose role is severely diminished: on the one hand, the head of school is no longer permitted to teach, and on the other hand, can no longer make crucial decisions for his or her school.
‘The council claims – but has been unable to prove – that it faces major challenges of recruitment and retention of head teachers; but despite being asked consistently for months, it has failed to show any consideration whatsoever of risks, including the likelihood that its untested model will actually worsen recruitment, retention and the overall sustainability of schools, and damage our children’s education and life chances, as well as the wellbeing of our communities.
‘This model is actively detrimental and discriminatory to small remote schools.’
‘The council needs to halt this proposal and the damage it is causing.’
The ICC study also said: ‘Despite months of persistent requests, the council has failed to fulfil its obligations to provide a responsible case to support this proposal – including a strong defensible rationale (versus a set of vague claims), any supportive evidence, any assessment of risks and harmful impacts, or any consideration of alternatives, including the status quo.
‘The council’s process continues to be colossally wasteful of valuable public and voluntary community resources.’
The ICC said it shared ‘the widespread and growing concern that this process is reputationally damaging to the council, weakens public trust, and further damages relationships between the council and its communities.
‘We are experiencing a deficit of leadership in the council, which fails to recognise the obligation and necessity of engaging with communities early enough for them to influence proposals meaningfully, rather than “consulting” after decisions are set in train; and which fails to recognise our legitimate right to seek and obtain the basic information to support such radical change, rather than persistent refusal to provide this information and ignoring our requests when challenged.
‘We are ever more concerned that the council is determined to implement its proposal regardless of the views of its communities, and the strength and validity of reasoned opposition to it.
‘In conclusion, the council... is subjecting us, our children and our valued education professionals to a massive, highrisk and potentially harmful experiment. The council needs to be honest and humble. It needs to halt this proposal and the damage it is causing.’