Parents are ‘passionate and motivated’ in fight to save plan

At least two concerned parents’ groups have been set up following a parents’ forum held at Lurgan College last Thursday.

Nicole Lappin, who was involved in the setting up of Waringstown Concerned Parents’ Group, said: “The SELB wasn’t interested in consulting parents, and governors of some schools made a decision to support Option A without considering the views of parents.

“The Dickson Plan is a system that has the overwhelming support of the majority of people. There’s a lot of anger over the decision of some schools and the SELB to support Option A.”

The group have already written to the board of governors of Lurgan Junior High School (one of the schools to supporting Option A) informing them of their “total rejection” of Option A.

They’ve asked the governors at the junior high to convey this sentiment on their behalf during any meetings with the SELB over the coming weeks and months.

The parents’ group have also requested an urgent public meeting with the school’s governors so that issues arising out of the planned changes to the Dickson Plan can be discussed.

Waringstown Concerned Parents Group elected a committee following a well attended gathering in the Planters on Monday night.

On the same evening four grammar schools principals from Lurgan College, Portadown College, Coleraine High School and the Collegiate Grammar School in Enniskillen met in Portadown to discuss their “lack of confidence” in Education Minister John O’Dowd’s area based plans.