Vehicles vandalised in Welsh-school rumpus
Parents in a village divided over a decision by Carmarthenshire County Council to turn the local primary school into a Welsh-medium school say they have had their tyres slashed and they have been sworn at and spat at in the street.
The parents, all of whom have children in the soon-tobe-closed English-medium stream at Ysgol Llangennech, near Llanelli, say they are not members of any political party but opposed plans to make the school Welsh medium only as part of the The Keep Llangennech Dual Group.
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed it is investigating four cars having their tyres slashed in Park Lane, Llangennech, overnight on February 20 to 21.
One mother with children at the school, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said the cars vandalised belonged to parents attending a meeting to discuss the issue at a hall in Tower Grove on the evening of February 20. She and other parents believe people opposing their views are responsible.
The parents, two mothers and one father, say the atmosphere in the village is bad, with people unwilling to express their views because the situation has become so highly charged.
The dual stream will shut to new pupils from September, Carmarthenshire County Council voted last month.
The issue became a national controversy last week when Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood accused Labour council candidates of working with Ukip in a “toxic” campaign against Welsh-medium education during First Minister’s Questions.
First Minister Carwyn Jones responded by saying: “I agree that the situation in Llangennech has become toxic.
“I do not believe that the words used by the leader of the opposition help the situation by turning it into a party-political issue.”
Some parents opposed to the council’s vote say they are coming under attack unfairly in the community and on social media.
Nurse and mother of one Nicola Lloyd, whose nine-yearold son will remain in the school’s English-medium stream until he leaves for high school, said: “It is very sad. It is being used by Plaid, Labour and Ukip and the onus has been taken away from us as parents.
“Every time we try to say we are not anti-Welsh-language we get slated.
“We would love every school to be dual stream. We are not pro-English language or anti-Welsh language. We are prochoice. We are very sad this has become a political football.
“We want to stress we are pro-Welsh. English and Welsh need equal standing. We feel our message is getting lost in politics and social media abuse.”
Mrs Lloyd, who moved to the village 18 years ago from Swansea, said feelings are running high, and that is bad for all children at the school.
Another mother with children at the primary, who has campaigned to keep it dualstream, said the village was “walking on eggshells”. She said her family had lived in the village for generations and her own mother is a Welsh-speaker, although she is not.
She said she is not opposed to pupils being taught in either language but believes the choice to choose English or Welsh should continue in the village school so children do not have to travel outside for their education.
“I am worried about safety. I know one person was spat at in the street, and in Tesco another woman was sworn at. A random woman got out of a white van and went up to her and swore at her.
“We have got to live here but people are being trolled on social media and threatened.”
The 2011 census showed the number of Welsh-speakers in Carmarthenshire had fallen below 50% for the first time in history.
The Welsh Government has called for greater access to Welsh-medium education.