I hope that you might consider writing about the sham
consultation process happening where schools undergoing forced
academisation are handed over to the charitable wing of big business.
This is an especially important issue since the leak in the Independent that the
Conservative party plans to allow academies to be run for profit in
future.
Parents at Roke Primary have now received full information about the
mandatory consultation process. There is a huge amount of new
information on our website
www.saveroke.co.uk
You will find the consultation documents on the letters page.
Consultation documents went out out to parents on Friday. As the
Government preferred sponsor, the Harris Federation is running the
consultation. A fact which should be shocking in itself. Stakeholders
are only receiving representations from Harris. They are breaking us
up into small groups for oral presentations. They have sweetened us
with coach tour to a Harris school. The consultation questionnaire has to be seen to believed.
It is so one sided. There is no representation at all from the parents’
governors’ and staff preferred sponsor. ie No presentations or glossy
brochures from Riddlesdown Collegiate.
This does seem like a sham process and a waste of taxpayers money. It
is also corrupt because essentially public property is being handed to
a business/charity without a fair, neutral or transparent
consultation. Parents, staff, governors and the wider community have
no voice at all. The public deserve to know about this.
Harris Federation engineers have already been surveying the school on Friday.
Further evidence that both Harris and the Government perceive the take
over as a done deal, despite openly saying in the press that it is
not.
There is lots of news and discussion on the Save Roke facebook group.
Staff completely cowed and frightened to lose jobs. They have been so
badly bullied.
It really is scandalous. We simply have no voice.
Consultation process is so one sided and unfair. It is corrupt. I
believe it should be on front page of every newspaper. How can the
government be getting away with this? They are handing public assets
to private businesses disguised as charities, who know full well
that those in power will eventually let them run schools for profit.
In the case of the Harris Federation, they have unbelievably close
links to the Tory party. Lord Harris is a major Tory party donor to
the tune of over £2 million, he is a personal friend of David Cameron.
He is special advisor to the DfE.
The whole forced academy process is very corrupt and undemocratic.
Riddlesdown were dismissed in a single line in a letter from the DfE.
There was no reason given. There is no transparent information about
when, why and how Harris were selected to takeover Roke and receive
millions in public assests. Why is the media complicit in this
process? I really believe this needs exposing to the general public
now.
We are not the only non-failing, non under performing school where
this is happening. In London alone, parents from three schools are
protesting (Thomas Gamuel Primary school in Walthamstow, Gladstone
Park Primary in Brent). Forced academy at these schools is not about
raising standards (standards at these schools are already above the
national average). It is purely and simply a way to set up the
infrastructure for privatisation. Its a land grab by people already
in a privileged position and very close to the Government.
I do hope you will consider giving this scandal the coverage it deserves.
