Parent consultation and the High School Board

Below is a letter I received from a past member of the Bishopbriggs High School Board that clears up any criticism about parent consultation. You will read that right up until the council meeting the board believed that the new school would be built on the High School site and that parents had agreed to this. It was the council who went against this selection...

Dear James

I have been looking at your web site and felt that I should respond to the comments of your anonymous contributor about the School Board. While I would accept that the Board might have done some things differently, I feel that the following points are valid:-

(1) as you know, when the proposal to build a new school was first mooted the unanimous view of the Bishopbriggs High School Board was that it should be built on the High School site. The Board did not consider that it was necessary to consult parents at that time since the Council was committed to a wideranging consultation which included parents of pupils attending the High School. The result of this consultation confirmed that the Board's decision reflected the parents' views.

(2) the Board's view did not change but, as you know, the Board ceased meeting as a separate entity following the establishment of the Interim Board and before the Council indicated that the builders had submitted proposals to build at the Thomas Muir site.

(3) as a result of the builders' proposals the Council told the Interim Board that it was required to undertake a further consultation. At that time I stated that I could see little point in a further consultation when the Council was unable to provide any information on the perceived educational advantages of the Thomas Muir site and I certainly would not have considered that there would have been any point in the Interim Board consulting with parents at that time.

(4) my recollection of the position taken by the Interim Board at that time was that if it could be shown that a school built on the Thomas Muir site would provide a better learning and teaching environment than one built on the High School site then that would be their preferred option. However the Interim Board members did not have the detailed information to enable them to reach a final decision and, accordingly, I think it was inappropriate for Councils members or officials to claim in early July that the Interim Board supported their decision.

(5) clearly, like yourself, I have no information on what discussions took place at the meeting of the Interim Board held after the Council made its decision and following receipt of detailed information on the perceived educational advantages of the Thomas Muir site but, I assume that, if they are supporting the Council's decision, they have confirmed with the head teacher and the staff members that a school at the Thomas Muir site will provide the better learning and teaching environment.

I would also like to make the following more general points:-

(1) while the Bishopbriggs High School Board did not consult with parents on the site of the new school, the Board did consult with parents on whether, in the event that the new school was to be built on the High School site, they would want their children to continue to be taught in the High School or decanted elsewhere. From approximately 1000 letters issued only around 200 replies were received.

(2) all parents of pupils attending Bishopbriggs High School in August 2005, between 1500 and 1700 I would guess, had the opportunity to stand for election to the School Board in November 2005 when 3 vacancies for parent members had to be filled. In the event only 3 nominations were received. In these circumstances I think that it is unfair that those who were prepared to serve on the Board and support the School should be subjected to criticism.

I agree with every point and would like to personally thank the contributor for this letter.