The repercussions of the visit of Miss Fiona to the schools in the Western Isles continue!
It serves the Comhairle right after their insulting behaviour to Miss Fiona and I. Mr MacLeod – who claims to be the Director of Education – and Mrs Munro – who claims to be the Chair – was terribly rude to Miss Fiona by sitting outside the school classrooms and the staff rooms as she toured the schools. Why should they expect to be invited into schools, when there was barely enough room for Miss Fiona, her PA, her assistant, me, two photographers and assorted other civil servants? Although Miss Fiona told them to sit outside she didn’t mean for them to be so rude as to tell the media, their colleagues and the Comhairle that weren’t welcome.
I am just about convinced that the closures of the schools is probably a bad idea, mostly, but certainly telling the press about it was a big mistake by the Comhairle. I am going to campaign, moderately vigorously, for the parents and teachers to meet and consider being unhappy that the Council was following Government policy in improving schooling and saving money.
I am writing to the Headteachers to get them to mobilise the parents to oppose the cuts, and I have asked them to phone me if they are sufficiently outraged, and we can see if I can arrange a meeting at some point to discuss the matter further.
That will show the Council who is the King of the Jungle!
Miss Fiona sends a message that I must in no circumstances suggest that the Council should get more money for any reason, and Mr Bruce phones to remind me nicely that I must do as told. How I laugh into my cocoa at the suggestion that I might do something to stir up the public.
