LET'S tell it as it is. Rose Hill School is termed an EBD school - ie. one for pupils who are emotionally and behaviourally disturbed. This fact is conveniently omitted by the Parent Governor (Journal Mailbox), who writes solely about 'learning difficulties'.
I would also suspect that this person is involved with the primary branch - not the secondary department which is the once scheduled to love to Tyldesley. The behaviour of teenage boys is usually more challenging than that of younger children, ask any parent.
It is obvious that these pupils need specialised education to cater for their needs but the whole point at issue here is the siting of the school.
The present site is isolated. The proposed new site is closely surrounded by houses, so a high fence is to be built, ostensibly to keep vandals out.
When I see similar barriers being erected around all schools, then I'll know the one planned for Tyldesley is just coincidence. The school site, wherever it is, will not affect these pupils' education, they are all taxied in. However, the site will affect local residents.
The behaviour which some of these pupils demonstrate at times is not socially acceptable; foul language, torrents of abuse and destructiveness are certainly undesirable in a residential area.
Ms Stares (Mailbox) throws out accusations ("small-minded, uncharitable, judgemental) without first speaking with the protesters (some counsellor)! She also states "when you know their (the pupils') backgrounds you can understand why they are referred to a special school for help."
Since when has 'background' caused learning difficulties? Background, however, can affect behaviour. I would like to hear comments from long-suffering taxi drivers, residents near Highfield and Homelea, and from teachers of behaviour problem pupils, who are daily bombarded by abuse and occasionally violence. How many of these, who are really at the sharp end, would recommend such a school being sited so close to houses?
Could we also have clarification about the date of the proposed move? The Education Department have stated in writing that this will be next August. This school, however, is supposed to be moving at Easter. The protesters had better get their skates on.
One At The Sharp End"
(Name and address supplied)
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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