Mr B H Jackson of Remires Road (Letters, July 11) bemoans the fact that a local school does not engage the youngsters in sufficient competitive games.
The issue is an interesting one. It raises two questions.
Firstly, what are the governing bodies doing (I extended the number of parents on governing bodies when I was Education Secretary)?
Secondly, what makes Mr Jackson think that, as Educa
tion Secretary, I condoned the selling off of school paying fields – when actually I introduced measures to prevent the wholesale selling off, and agreed only where alternative playing facilities would be made available and where this was agreed by the governors and of benefit to the community?
The key issue here (in both cases) is: what on earth is happening to local decision making? Governments don't sell off playing fields; governments don't stop schools playing competitive games – the leadership of the school and the governing body do!
It is time that people took responsibility; that, at local level, people bring pressure to bear and decisions are taken in consultation and with participation from those in the community and caring about the community.
The message is very simple. Do not pass the buck!
There is so much looking for someone else to 'blame' around us that we are now becoming not only a 'one foot in the grave' but a 'two feet in the grave' society. It's time those with accountability accepted it.
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