Link to The Peeblesshire News website.
LOCAL parents have raised the stakes in the campaign to keep open Midlothian's rural schools with a decision
to appoint leading QC Paul Cullen, a former Solicitor-General, to advise on possible legal action if the Council
decides to go ahead with its present plans for the reform of education facilities in the county.
The parents believe that, without big changes to the proposals as they stand, there is a good chance of
victory in a court battle.
They already claim to have scored one point with the Council's decision to extend the consultation by two
weeks to the end of the month while pressure on Education Minister Peter Peacock at Parliamentary Questions
last Thursday has resulted in an announcement that guidelines on the closing of rural schools will need to be
reviewed.
It also appears that councillors have been taken aback by the strength of some of the opposition with Council
Leader Adam Montgomery issuing a statement last Friday in which he defended the thinking behind the Council's plans
"Our vision for education reflected in these proposals involves an integration of pre-school and primary
education where children start in nursery and progress on-site to their primary school," he said.
"Within our primaries we plan one and two stream schools supported by a school management system to ensure
the education we provide for children is centred on their individual learning needs and is the best we can achieve."
But he went on to admit that loyalties and local association were strong and there was opposition even from
some "who have lambasted us for years about leaking roofs" with the main criticism coming from the parents of
the children affected by the closures.
Even those who were supporting the proposals were voicing fears for the future, concerns about the plans and
the process, and the impact on children.
"That is what the consultation programme is about," Councillor Montgomery continued, adding that criticism of
some of the statements made in the original survey reports had been heard and that every school had been subjected
to a re-survey "to ensure that when the Council is asked to come to a view in May, it is based on the very latest
information available."
Councillor Montgomery concluded: "We recognise that the proposals will have an impact on many generations of
school pupils and that is why we are seeking the widest possible participation in the process."
Councillor David Fletcher said that it was important to remember that the proposals that were now being
discussed were the views of the officials.
"These plans have not come from the Council or from the Cabinet," he said. "Donald McKay and his staff have
done a first-class job in putting forward a reasoned case, as they see it, for changes to the pattern of primary
education suitable for the 21st century.
"It is then a matter for the politicians to make the political decision and I think that the strength of
feeling from parents and others may result in some changes."
Councillor Fletcher added that he would be backing a "moratorium" on school closures for at least a year
and felt that the mass closure of all five rural schools was not a good idea.
"Whatever the arguments, closing all five at once could be seen by some as social engineering," he said.
"Many people have put forward the argument that if you are going to move children into refurbished or newly-built
schools then it makes sense to refurbish or build first and move afterwards.
"I think several of my colleagues are coming round to that way of thinking."