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‘Discrimination’? We must do better for our children
• YOU reported last week the comments made by the outgoing director of children’s services, Heather Schroeder, criticising in the strongest possible terms the campaign run by the parents, teachers and governors at Edith Neville School around the proposed co-location of their school with Frank Barnes (Schools row turns sour, August 14).
We were enormously disappointed that a senior officer of Heather Schroeder’s standing chose to make these comments. As the ward councillors for Edith Neville School, we have seen at first-hand the school’s campaign and this is not a description we in any way recognise.
In fact, during this whole process, both Edith Neville and Frank Barnes schools have been extremely careful to make their case in clear educational terms, rather than to characterise this as a battle between the schools. For the council to accuse the parents, teachers and governors of Edith Neville of discriminatory behaviour is a wholly unhelpful intervention in what has been a very dignified campaign by both schools.
There are strong educational arguments why Edith Neville feel that co-location is inappropriate for them as a school; just as there are clear educational arguments why Frank Barnes needs to retain its unique teaching methodology and stay in Camden. As a Labour group our priority has been, and will remain, finding a solution that works for both schools.
Sadly it feels like the priority of the Lib Dem/Tory administration is to push through decisions to satisfy their short-term priority to clear the Swiss Cottage site for the new academy – the impact of which is now being felt by both Frank Barnes and Edith Neville.
The accusation of discrimination feels like an acceptance that the council have in many ways lost the educational argument. An intervention of this kind is not in the best interests of Camden’s children, and certainly not the pupils of Edith Neville or Frank Barnes.
CLLR ANNA STEWART and ROGER ROBINSON
St Pancras and Somers
Town Ward
London Borough of Camden
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