At the end of last month, On The Wight published photographs showing considerable damage taken in the current school buildings at Cowes Enterprise College (where it was recently announced that pupils will continue to occupy the old buildings until the end of the summer 2013 term).
Once we’d published the article, we wrote to Chair of Governors at Cowes Enterprise College, Alan Wells, to ask for his views on the situation.
We wrote,
We were passed photos of the current Cowes High building, showing significant deteriorations, that we published this afternoon -> http://wig.ht/2aht
Everyone is aware that there has been a planned shift to the new building, so the current building wouldn’t be in a pristine condition, indeed keeping it as bright as pin, when it is planned to be demolished, would be daft.
What I think Islanders will find surprising is that the conditions, shown in the photos, are quite as bad as that. It looks like there’s possible health and safety issues there.
As Chair of Governors, what is your view on the following questions –
How long have you been aware of the conditions of these buildings?
Do you think those photos raise HSE issues?
What will be put in place to ensure the current building isn’t dangerous for pupils and teachers?”
The response
The response we received from Alan Wells (just below) was, to put it mildly, quite extraordinary.
Rather than deal with the issues raised, as you might expect the Chair of Governors to do, his approach was to attempt to shift the rightful attention on the highly-visible issues at the school, to one tantamount to an accusation of unhealthy interest in children that the photographer might have, and all of the overtones that brings.
Moreover, he went on to refuse to provide this news publication with answers to perfectly valid questions, simply because it allows readers to add their comments using pseudonyms. Mind-boggling. (More on this lower down).
Extraordinary response
Here’s the first section of Alan Wells’ response:
I am extremely concerned that you are publishing pictures taken within Cowes Enterprise College building which could be regarded as a serious safeguarding issue.
The fact that someone is prepared to take photos within the College which you are then publishing in the public domain is a matter that the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board might well take a strong view on.
The photographer is likely to also have access to children and I am sure you can understand the dangers that this presents in my mind. I would ask you to remove the pictures and/or refer the photographer to me in my role as Chair of Governors.
Safeguarding issues?
Readers will remember that the photographs published contained no images of children. Yet on the basis of what, in this case, is a spurious reliance on certain safeguarding issues he avoids answering our questions and fails to deal with the clearly apparent issue of the basic safety of pupils in a potentially hazardous environment and despite being the Chair of Governors gives no indication that he plans to do anything about it.
Refusal to comment
In the second section of his email, Alan Wells, also the current Chairman of the Isle of Wight Conservative Association, then refused to answer our legitimate press enquiries, attempting to put himself above public questioning.
Let’s not forget, this is the man who was, prior to being voted out of what was one of the safest Conservative seats on the Island, in charge of the Island’s change from three tier to two tier schooling and is now the Chair of Governors of a school that has delayed its opening for a year.
High-handed approach
We can see why someone in such a weak position might want to grab any opportunity to not be accountable – but that doesn’t make it right. Frankly such a high-handed approach is pretty insulting to the children at the school, their parents and the people of the Island.
So what did he come up with?
In regard to the issues you raise, I hope you will forgive me for not making any comment at all, much as I might wish to. While you continue to support a forum in which your correspondents can malign and insult members of the public under the cloak of anonymity, I have no wish to be part of it.
Against policy
As readers will know, the On The Wight policy is to not allow personal insults against members of the public in comments. On the whole readers leaving comments respect this, but on the rare occasion that one sneaks through, they are moderated out when they’re pointed out to us.
Industry standard
Pseudonym use by commentors is common (in fact it’s been in use on the Island since the mid-1880s).
He certainly doesn’t appear to apply the same rules to the BBC (who are also happy to have comments left under pseudonyms), as they have a quote from him in their coverage of the IWC staff new school delay suspensions.
We think that if people are going to pretend to take the moral high ground, they should at least apply it equally.
Different rules for different publications
We wonder whether ex-County Cllr Wells will give the same response to enquiries from journalists at The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Daily Mail? – all of whom allow their readers to use pseudonyms.
Even the dear old County Press has some pretty questionable usernames leaving comments on their articles … but we can’t see Alan not giving them quotes and posing for their photos.
We wrote back to Mr Wells yesterday to express our surprise at his response. We’ll let you know if we hear back.
Take it to Ofsted
People we have shared Alan Wells’ reply with, including those close to Westminster, have labelled it “an attempt to intimidate you” and “quite pathetic” and recommended that we send it to Ofsted. Perhaps we should.
