Mr Sneddon says: ‘The primary concern should be the educational benefits to children and young people. The likely effect of the school closure on the local community should not be allowed to have more importance than the educational benefits for children and young people. In practice the impact upon a community became an emotive issue which detracted from the discussion of educational benefits for children and young people.’

This seeks to disregard altogether the relationship between community and school and the impact of one upon the other.

It also suggests that parents prioritise the interests of their community above those of their children. Who has ever met such a parent? Almost always, nothing comes before the perceived best interests of a child.

In fact there is evidence flatly to the contrary from one of the schools Mfr Sneddon attempted to close. Achaleven School in Connel, in the midst of a lively community, was abandoned by virtually all parents in the community because of problems on the education side. They took their kids elsewhere. The community now faces losing its school since the council made no effort to resolve the situation as it should have done.

The fact that Mr Sneddon either cannot see or does not care to see, is that parents of children in rural schools have made an informed decision that this particular educational context provides the best early foundation for the future lives of their children.