OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from a concerned and affected parent, Ed
I am writing this based on the upcoming decision regarding the school placed planning and the threat of closure to several schools across the Isle of Wight, I write as a very concerned parent of children who are very happy at their existing school, (one of the unfortunate schools threatened for closure).
I write in support of all directly affected who are happy with this school and don’t want to see it shut down to seemingly satisfy only a few people within the Council Cabinet Team.
A cabinet decision
It is to our understanding there are allegedly 39 elected council members yet only eight will be responsible for making a detrimental decision which will affect 100s of families across the Island; the mental well being of 100s of children; the financial wellbeing of 100s of families; employment for 100s of members of staff, and a major impact to entire communities across the Island.
Eight people (Cabinet members) who may feel they know what’s best above everyone else involved in this, what we believe to be an unfair and discriminatory situation.
A school that has a secure future because it has had a secure past
We who are ultimately affected by this, do not believe it is fair that only a small number of people could have the overall say on entire futures for multiple families across our whole Island. Especially when our school in particular has a massive opposition to the school being closed. Which is evident in black and white.
The people DO NOT support the decision to such a threat to close a perfectly capable school. A school that has a secure future because it has also had a secure past.
There are surely many ways to come to a reasonable and suitable outcome
There has been written evidence of numerous positive proposals sent in from everyone affected by this situation via the recent consultation process that there are surely many ways to come to a reasonable and suitable outcome to ensure the future wellbeing of our primary school and potentially other schools near to it.
It is something that requires team work and working together should bring a positive impact and change to what supports everyone involved equally.
No equal balance between the Isle of Wight council and the people
We who are being directly affected feel that this situation has no equal balance between the Isle of Wight council and the people. There appears to be a lot of support within the Isle of Wight education system intake to make the council happy and satisfied regarding our children’s education and futures, yet our children and ourselves don’t seem to be getting the same support returned from the Isle of Wight council?
We feel this is not an equal or fair negotiation for such a situation that will have a huge impact on the wellbeing of the Island’s residents and future occupants.
Why does cabinet get an opportunity to invoke havoc
There has been recent awareness that the IW council cabinet system will be abolished in May 2025? Is this correct?
If so, we need evidence to please explain to us how there is a logical, fair and justifiable reason as to why the cabinet currently get an opportunity to invoke havoc and cause so much mental and financial stress on 100s of families to then potentially be able to disappear and what feels like “a run away act” from what they could potentially do to so many people?
Think about the children
If they are ceasing to exist in our near future then why has this proposal even come into fruition? If the council are unsure of themselves then how can they be so sure of what’s right for the rest of us and especially the innocent minds of so many children being subject to this situation which we feel is not necessary in the way it is being proposed.
We the people who are being affected and will be further affected should the IW council cabinet decide to enforce closure, do not agree to any of this, if they cannot bring fairness and equality to this massive situation then it shouldn’t be happening at all.
If the vote isn’t equal and isn’t fair. It isn’t genuine
We still feel we do not have answers or supporting evidence to everything we have sent to the IW council during the consultation period. All we appear to have is the view and opinion of what the council seemingly wants. Their end goal. Not the end goal for the people affected. A lot of misinformation.
And it’s the people who are being forced to suffer at the hands of it. It is very disappointing due to the lack of care for the children/families and affected staff and wider communities.
If the vote isn’t equal and isn’t fair. It isn’t genuine.
