In the run up to Glasgow City Council’s decision on whether to go ahead with the proposed closure of twenty primary schools, and after a campaign that has seen rallies of hundreds in George Square outside the city chambers. parents at two Glasgow schools in Maryhilll, Wyndford and St Gregory’s primary schools, have occupied the buildings. Visiting the St Gregory’s occupation over a week later it was clear that the parents were determined to maintain their struggle as long as necessary.
Speaking to the occupiers at St Gregory’s was a welcome experience to someone who has been active on the left for a few years. These were not hardened activists but a fresh layer of people who had thrown themselves into a campaign to save a corner stone of their local community. Clare told me that, after they had occupied, the council had used heavy handed tactics that went to the extent of sending a heavy police presence including an armed response unit to the school! She said that at the time the parents had felt understandably intimidated and that they had had no experience of dealing with the police in a situation like this. Clare added that now that they had the experience of the occupation they were far readier to deal with such problems.
The council’s treatment of the parents throughout the campaign has been nothing short of scandalous. As the parents have pointed out, their representatives are elected to work for them and not for part of a service-slashing and cost cutting-agenda. Throughout the campaign the Labour group has remained unrepentant in the pursuit of closing the schools. Beyond this, the very workings of our supposed local democracy have been put into disrepute. Clare told me that she had been in correspondence with the leader of Glasgow City Council, Stephen Purcell, who had agreed to meet her and since failed to follow this up. The parents were also initially refused the opportunity to view the meeting of the council on April 23rd which will decide whether to go ahead with the closures. Under pressure the council was forced to relent and allow one representative from each of the twenty schools. Clearly this will still fail to allow for the full weight of public feeling on the closures to be made clear.
The council has also insisted on a security presence at the occupations, costing two thousand pounds a day, which they are of course blaming the parents for. My experience could not have been more contrary. It is ridiculous to suggest that this group of people, acting in a responsible way to defend their community, were remotely violent! When I visited the parents were in fact cleaning the building so as to leave it in a cleaner state than when they found it. It was clear these people care for their children’s education and could not be further from the irresponsible mavericks the council has tried to portray them as in the local media.
When visiting the occupation I handed over a statement from the Edinburgh and London School Student Unions which Clare was glad to accept on behalf of the occupiers. It is evident that there is a high level of support for the occupations throughout Glasgow and particularly in Maryhill. House windows, local businesses and street corners are covered with posters asking for support for the occupation and inviting people to visit the occupied schools. Parents from the other schools proposed for closure have also helped maintain the occupation. The parents at Wyndford and St Gregory’s have made it clear that they are against all closures and cutbacks. One of the occupiers made it clear to me that she was not just fighting for her own child’s school and that she saw this as a struggle against all cut backs as one closure would only lead to the remaining services being further strained. This stance is to be welcomed and clearly stands in the tradition of an injury to one is an injury to all.
Clare explained to me that the experience of the campaign in defence of the schools has raised the consciousness of those involved. She said that after the fight to save the schools was over that she had no intention of withdrawing from campaigning. Instead the parents are proposing setting up a community action group to look at wider issues. With attacks on public services and job losses mounting there could not be a time when initiatives such as this are needed. The school occupations may well prove not just to be an impressive example of community action but the start of a far wider struggle.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
The parents have a bebo site, http://www.bebo.com/saveourschoolglasgow and facebook, http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=524177649&ref=frmf#/group.php?gid=65162481449&ref=tsmessages. Messages of support can be sent to 07867543102 Wyndford or 07776396152 St Gregory’s. You can also email nikki71@talktalk.net
Parents are acting on a rota and would be grateful for food and comfort items, and especially for messages of support – send them by text or post them there! They also appreciate visitors at the occupied schools – just drop on by!
