Lionel Secondary school debate 26/6/08
Lionel Secondary school was reprieved after a heated debate by Western Isles Council late on Wednesday night.
There was a round of applause in the public gallery when councillors voted 16:15 to keep the secondary school in Ness open.
John Mackay said the issue was not just about “education. We have to look at welfare of children.”
Pupils would leave home at 7.30 for school and come back at 5pm he said.
He added: “I don’t think children can reach their potential if they travel these distances. If the alternative is lodgings where are we going to put them.”
He said: “The costs ( of lodgings) far exceeds what it would cost to keep the school open. The cost of bussing the secondary pupils to Stornoway is not best value for the council.”
“We are convinced in Ness that the Curriculum for Excellence will work
He stressed that the new Spòrs Nis offered “more facilities now than we ever had” with extra classrooms, computers and sports facilities.
He added: “If we close the school we are going to take Gaelic out of the community because Stornoway is not a Gaelic community.
He said: “Ness and the Westside is the heart of Gaelic as far as this island and indeed this country is concerned.”
“If we are going to take the heart out of the community, we are going to cut our own throat.
Kenneth Murray highlighted that schools “are a major factor to inward migration to the Western Isles.
Referring to the new build Stornoway high school he said: “I know there’s a carrot but at the moment it is a long way away.
He added: “The consultation raised questions over who who we are here to represent. Where will this leave us when we try to argue our case for decentralisation of services - should we not practice what we preach.”
Iain Morrison apologised for voting against an earlier school some weeks ago.
He said that Stornoway pupils would still be in bed while Ness children are leaving home for school.
He added: “How are children expected to stay in a classroom all day and to reach the potential they are capable of. I argue if we do this we sell our children short.”
