School critics could do a great deal better

Apr 24 2008

I have been following recent letters in the Advertiser in connection with Calderside Academy. I understand everyone has differing views and is entitled to their opinion.

I am also a parent of a child at the school. There are problems which I believe need to be dealt with in a stricter manner.

The government have to take some of the blame for giving children too many rights. In doing so, they have taken away many of the rights of parents and teachers to discipline the children who cause the problems.

The head teacher, Miss Morris, needs to have a stricter approach with pupils, as do many of the parents who do not give teachers enough backing to deal with these disruptive children. The old Blantyre High had very good discipline over the last couple of years in particular and I see no reason why those standards cannot be applied.

It would seem there is no respect from children any more. Unfortunately the majority of great children at the school are being dragged down by the disruptive actions of the minority.

It’s the good children who suffer. They try hard, work hard and follow the rules but they are punished for any minor thing. Yet the serial disruptive children get many of the rewards or are let off by doing what they wish. It is about time government brought back some type of punishment to our schools and streets as things are getting out of control.

On a positive note may I also say I have seen inside the school and have been very impressed by its facilities. However, I am disappointed by the comments from some pupils from both the old Earnock and Blantyre schools that they do not like the new school and find it like a prison.

These comments have come from youngsters who came from previous buildings which were in a dreadful condition. They do not know how lucky they are to be educated in this fantastic new modern building.

Many of the parents who have complained have, as yet, not seen inside the school yet they seem willing to bring in down in the press. Do these same parents give any of their time to attend the various meetings/events arranged to support the school and its place in our community?

I am at the school gates every day at 3.30pm and have been impressed by the way transport is being co-ordinated. Buses are parked off the road, giving children safe access to them. They are all loaded up quickly by staff before they set off on their home journey, assisted by the school’s campus police officer who stops the traffic to allow buses access to their designated routes.

Litter is another matter causing concern. Pupils do cause a terrible mess in and around the school and the shops. The question is, if there were more bins would the children use them?

Members of the community need to insist that the council do more to assist with the problem, a problem they helped create by building a school with such a big capacity. They need to provide more staff to litter-pick each lunchtime. They also need to insist that the various shops (all happy enough to make a big profit from the pupils) do more by providing sufficient bins at their premises.

Parents also need to do more to educate their children that it is not acceptable to drop litter wherever they like. They need to be told to use bins and to help keep the local community tidy.

The council should ensure their community wardens are visible, over the lunch period in particular. After all, are they not supposed to be engaging with communities and reporting on issues that are causing these communities concern, not wandering aimlessly around housing estates for a quieter life?

Wardens should be in and around the shops and Stonefield Park as the sheer scale of the children arriving en-masse does cause some unease, particularly to the elderly there. After all, they are entitled to go about their daily business without feeling intimidated by large groups of youngsters who congregate in these areas.

Wardens should be amongst the children and get to know them. They should give the rest of the community support and a point of contact if there is a problem. After all, that is what community engagement is all about.

Another concerned parent, name and address supplied.