War on the Campus

[Milesian]

By Lori Campbell (Daily Record - 22nd Jan 2004)

A joint school campus hailed as the way to end religious bigotry has been ripped apart by violence.
The experiment combining St David's RC High and non-denominational Dalkeith High was designed to end sectarianism - but when it opened in September pupils were segregated.
Now after an escalation in violence branded "unacceptable" by Midlothian education chief Donald McKay, some parents have withdrawn their kids from the school. And the school board at St David's last night held an emergency meeting to try to ease parents fears.

The controversal school campus had pledged to unite Catholic and non-Catholic kids, but has turned into a war zone.
Children at St David's High and non-denominational Dalkeith High were brought together on a £3 million pound super-campus hailed as the "end of sectarianism".
But when the complex opened youngsters at the two schools were ordered not to mix in the plaground or canteen.
Education chiefs bowed to pressure and lifted the rule in December - but now parents say the campus is in turmoil, with violence spiralling out of control.

Attacks on pupils have escalated and buses, also seperated for the two scholls are being stoned.
One pupil needed hospital treatment after a brick was thrown through the bus window by a gang from the other school.
Three families are refusing to send their sons to the campus in Dalkeith.

An emergency meeting was held last night for parents of St David's pupils to air their concerns to the school board. Parents refused to comment afterwards and board members said a statement would be issued today.
But earlier, the father of one 14 year old girl pupil at St David's said - "Trying to integrate them is leading to chaos. I am worried for her safety because the schools do not get on well, gangs have formed and fights have been breaking out"

The Record revealed in November how the "Supercampus" hailed by First Minister Jack McConnell as a vision of the future for Scottish schools was a sham.
Director of St David's board, John McHenery said, "I asked the headteacher to keep a log of safety-security issues at the school. In December, the incidents got noticably worse and on the 17th, one pupil was attacked on the campus, requiring hospital treatment. Two further pupils have been threatened and three families now refuse their sons to the school. Further attacks on pupils were reported to the council,as was the stoning of school buses which resulted in an injury and also threats to staff as they tried to intervene."

Liberal Democrat MSP Donald Gorrie last night blasted the council, "I am in favour of shared campuses but it defeats the object if lines are going to be drawn between the schools which the kids cannot cross."

Midlothian Council director of education, donald McKay, yesterday admitted there are concerns about the level of violence at the campus.
He said, "We will be contacting parents of pupils attending St David's and Dalkeith High to update them on aspects of pupl behaviour and the steps we are introducing to overcome any difficulties. However, it would be wrong to get the incidents out of proportion. while each one is taken very seriously and we are taking steps to help address the situation, we are talking only about a tiny proportion of the 1700 pupil school community who are involved. There are no plans to return to seperate playground areas at this time"

Insisting that segregation will not be re-introduced he said - "The playgrounds will remain shared between pupils from both schools. Playground areas will continue to be monitored and better use will be made of modern technology to support the work of the schools"

When the campus opened in September, Midlothians education leader Peter Boyes said - "This campus sets a benchmark for all schools in the future"

Jack McConnell claimed that brining Catholic and non-Catholic pupils together on the same sites would stamp out religious bigotry.
"There should be no artificial dividing lines or barriers" he said.

[Gladstone]

A shame!

Kind of remindful of this fellow here in the states, he was doing a run across the country in the name of peace. Anyhow, about half way thru he got robbed and to add insult he was thrown off a bridge...he survived but the run ended there.

So much for peace.

[Milesian]

A shame!

Kind of remindful of this fellow here in the states, he was doing a run across the country in the name of peace. Anyhow, about half way thru he got robbed and to add insult he was thrown off a bridge...he survived but the run ended there.

So much for peace.

Hehehe! Actually, all is not as it seems here.
The Irish originally built their churches and schools themselves and maintained them. The State soon wanted control over all schools The schools passed over from Church to State authority on the understanding that they wouldn't be closed down.....which is what they've been trying to do ever since.

The old excuse was that it cost too much money to have seperate schools, however we simply said if it was too expensive we would take control of the schools again and give them back to the Church.
Thwarted at that attempt, the new excuse is a crusade to stamp out sectarian bigotry, which they are blaming solely on Catholic schools. This pilot school seems to confirm that integrating the children is much worse !

[Gladstone]

Jack McConnell claimed that brining Catholic and non-Catholic pupils together on the same sites would stamp out religious bigotry.
"There should be no artificial dividing lines or barriers" he said.

He's wanting to say that there are no differences between Catholics and non-Catholics but the differences certainly are real if only as to belief...this is simply a variation of that rad-lib obsession of all people(s) being the same (ie identical) and that those very real differences are simply "social constructs". The only "artificial social construct" in this is the thought in Mr McConnel's head that there were no differences between those students and his denial of reality has gotten people (kids no less) hurt now. As they would say in the states McConnel had it "back asswards".

That denial of reality despite the evidence is a big part of what makes a cult a cult..and that's what modern rad-liberalism has devolved too largely.