Parents demand answers from LEA over Southfield School fiasco

Concerned parents of children who attend Southfield School called a meeting this Tuesday with the LEA and their Board of Governors to discuss their decision to reinstate the six excluded children. However, a number walked out in disgust when Bob Anderson, representing the LEA and Colin Bastin, Chair of Governors were unable or some claimed unwilling to answer any questions.

The subject of the controversial Governor�s vote was not permitted on the agenda, as it had taken place in a �private� meeting. And so after four weeks of protests, meetings and legal wrangling, many feel the school is back to square one with no procedures in place to reintegrate the six excluded children or measures taken to ensure no repeat of the playground violence.

The view of parents at the school is that a number of important points have been somewhat misrepresented in the media frenzy. They are genuinely worried for their own safety and that of their children and their teachers. However, it is yet to be reported that these same parents do believe that the LEA has not only failed them, but also the six excluded children. There is genuine concern over how these children can ever be successfully reintegrated into the school�s community.

With regard to accusations of racism against travellers, school parents were adamant that Colin Lowther�s decision to exclude the children had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they come from traveller families � his decision was based solely on the violent behaviour of their extended family, behaviour that had already led to the imposition of an ban on them entering the school�s playground.

After the controversial closed meeting, the Governing body as a whole was blasted for not supporting their Head Teacher and their school. In fact, only four Governors, one being an LEA representative, supported the reinstatement of the excluded children. The other Governors claim to have been misled on the subject of their personal liability in regard to being sued and therefore abstained from the vote. That left Mr Lowther and two parent Governors who voted against the motion, one of whose vote was not taken into account as he was unable to attend the meeting. Frustration after the meeting led to the resignation of four Governors, including two parents, one co-opted and a staff Governor.

All this misrepresentation aside, the school�s parents and teachers are firmly behind their Head Teacher and believe he acted in the interests of the school. Their argument is not whether his decision was or was not a legal one, their dispute is with the LEA and they feel that all parties in this furore have been failed.

There have been claims that after the meeting people who had spoken up against the readmission of the children to the school were followed out of the building and verbally abused by members of the childrens' families.


March 25, 2003

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