SCALLOWAY Parent Council has lodged a formal complaint against Shetland Islands Council for sending parents a brochure for the school they don’t want their children forced to attend.
The parent council is fighting a council proposal to close the Scalloway secondary department and send its 116 pupils to Lerwick’s Anderson High School to save money.
Last week the council sent all Scalloway secondary parents an AHS brochure, generating outrage when it emerged that the move had cost the authority £1,000.
SIC services committee chairman Gussie Angus defended the move saying that he wanted to counter negative comments made about the quality of education youngsters received at the AHS.
But parents council vice chairwoman Karen Eunson said: “To spend this sum of money at a time when communities are being faced with school closures is quite shocking.
“The Save Scalloway School campaign, led by the parent council, has not made any negative comments about the teachers or pupils of the AHS.
“What we have done is draw attention to the poor condition of the current buildings and we have based these comments principally on the evidence in the local authority’s own proposal paper on relocation of the AHS.
“It is not in the interest of pupils at either Scalloway or the Anderson High to add an extra 116 pupils to the roll of a school which has such significant maintenance problems, and such limited dining and social facilities, that it is already scheduled for replacement.”
The consultation on closing the secondary departments of Scalloway and Skerries schools, as well as relocating the Anderson High School to the Lower Staney Hill area, closed at midnight on Sunday.
The council has received well over 500 written submissions during the six week consultation period.
Councillors will have to make a decision on the proposals by the end of November.
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.
Already a supporter? Sign in to hide this message.
![]()
