Comment posted ARSN statement on school meals issue by Anne Baird.
Looking at her blog now,it seems Martha is eating heartily. That’s great news and is exactly what should have happened right at the start. A round of applause for the people who sorted it out, whoever they are.
Recent comments by Anne Baird
- Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
Well Lynda, all I can do under the circumstances is wish you well and give up on you. The people I work with, whether in the SNP or not, know where my heart is and that’s good enough for me. - Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
Islay, it’s not the buzz in Southend. The school remains a vibrant part of the community and the kids I helped out with at St Columba’s footprint last week were having a whale of a time with a teacher they clearly love. The one parent I know of who moved her child did so in the wake of the consultation having swallowed the line peddled by so called experts that large peer groups were essential for delivery of the Curriculum for Excellence.Having taken part in the Commission I can vouch for the fact that small schools deliver CfE very well and are often leaders in this sector. Argyll & Bute contains some of these leaders and award winners, two of which were up for closure.
- Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
I don’t live in Dunoon and was following from Integrity’s comment about things that were said during the school closure fiasco. There was a definite divide in perception between Helensburgh and the rest of A&B which is why I said it needed to join in. The one Helensburgh SNP councillor at the time was one of the few to understand GAE and I have never heard him suggest the rest of A&B was less entitled to services.Nonetheless, I have heard other Helensburgh councillors repeat this myth that they pay for rural Argyll and it is time we dealt with that and built a more unified region where divides between urban and rural are no longer used as tools by council officers wishing to close things.
What is shameless is that even where we try to discuss schools and the need for collective action you can skew it to your peculiar obsession. How this will help rural schools or Oban High I know not. Nor will it help to point out the SNP among schools activists who came from other parties or had no politics at all. In that context we put our badges to one side.
As for my party, its councillors, its members, its structure, you clearly know nothing about it.
- Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
John, Integrity, the redundancy of the urban/rural argument was recognised by the Commission. It’s an excuse used in various scenarios without any recognition that the funds “saved” are not being redistributed. ARSN worked out that if all the projected savings were realised and reinvested it would mean 2p per pupil annually to all the other schools. Hardly a bonanza.The only way forward is for all the schools to work together to challenge the many myths that surround the financing of education in rural areas. Helensburgh need to join in. The nonsense idea that they contribute more is based on a very simplistic view of finance that bears no relation tp reality. If they understood how much of the block grant was attracted by our remote communities they might think better about closing the rest of us down.
- Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
The statement and the Government response to the Commission report make pleasant reading for any schools campaigner. Given the effort that Cosla, Ades, Solace et al put into scuppering the intention of the original act I put this down as a resounding win for SRSN and ARSN.The cost of small schools was a matter of considerable debate but there was eventually agreement that rural authorities are compensated for the challenges of rurality. The value of those schools is less easily calculated but there is no dispute that it exists.
The Commission also looked at the challenges of rural secondaries and it is now apparent that these are being noted and addressed in several ways. Judging by what appears to be happening in Oban it’s not before time!
powered by SEO Super Comments
ARNS and the local SNP are of course bosom buddies and it is likely that the carefully worded statement from ARSN was rehearsed with just as carefully with Mary-Jean prior to it being made public.
That said I too look forward to the conclusion of Mary-Jean’s enquiry because the conclusion she comes to will tell us all a great deal about what we can expect from this new administration. If Mary Jean’s decision is not published on For Argyll I’ll conclude her enquiry did not turn out the way FA and ARSN wanted it to.
Anyone with half a brain investigating this ‘issue’ will conclude – either you don’t give the kids a choice but if you do – then don’t be surprised when some of them make poor choices – they are only kids after all.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I don’t know how old you are, Simon – though I have my suspicions – but in my time there was no meal choice, it was generally ‘like it or lump it’ and we generally liked it (I think it was all part of the learning process). Having said that, there was some resentment – one of my friends was in the habit of using the school gravy to slick his hair, and personally I never did get used to ‘Yorkshire Pudding’ (with the aforementioned gravy) reappearing, adorned with custard and jam, as ‘Victoria Sponge’. Happy days.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What is wrong with giving them healthy options to choose between? Why does the choice have to be healthy or unhealthy?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Tamarto,
You appear to be applying a whole brain to this. Remember Simon only wants people with half a brain to consider it, which may explain his support of the previous administration.
For the record the press release was written before we contacted Mary Jean Devon with the obvious exception of the last two paragraphs which couldn’t be written until we had got Cllr Devon’s response. If she had responded that she wasn’t going to bother looking into it we would have criticised her for that stance.
Simon likes to carry on claiming we are an SNP sub group – if it keeps him in material then so be it but the truth of the matter (as has been stated on here many times before) is that we are not a political group, not affiliated to a political group and have contrasting political beliefs within our membership.
Somehow or other we all get on and reach democratic conclusion on what we should do.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Ahhh Simon, Simon, Simon…
How was Tiree? Were you working on the Array?
Knew you wouldn’t be able to let this article pass without a
swipecomment. Deflecting the issue, you are even more predictable than me.However, a recap. There are 2 issues here:
The quality/quantity of school dinners at LJC. Hmmmm a big school possibly struggling to cope with the amount of pupils (430-ish) all to be fed in an hour. Yes we are most interested to find this out, especially after the Council refused to acknowledge there may be issues with this when it was discussed during the school closures.
The second issue being the absolutely appalling and immature reaction of staff in their response and blaming a wee girl. NOT ON!
Malcolm McFadyen in particular needing a few courses in children’s rights and tact to say the least.
We want confident learners? Aye just as long as they don’t complain, then they’ll set big Malky on you!
And yes we are friends with the SNP… and Argyll First and a bunch of Independents too. Do you honestly think that I would miss the opportunity of complaining if they start failing in the same way the last administration did?
Have a nice afternoon
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Looking at her blog now,it seems Martha is eating heartily. That’s great news and is exactly what should have happened right at the start. A round of applause for the people who sorted it out, whoever they are.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Pingback: #320 Nine-Year-Old Challenges Unhealthy School Lunches | This gives me hope