Its terrible Nidge - they're now putting kids out into the cold........
Parents' fury that some kids were left eating in the coldCHILDREN as young as five from Dreghorn Primary were made to eat lunch OUTDOORS during Nicola Sturgeon’s visit last week - because there was no room in the dining hall.
Parents were left furious after some children returned home after the First Minister’s visit last Monday saying they were told to eat their packed lunches outside - because the dining area was full to capacity with Government and council staff.
Angela Brown, 43, says her six-year-old daughter Jaymee was ‘told by a teacher’ to go outside and eat because there was no room in the dining hall.
She said: “Jaymee came home and told me that she ate her lunch outside and was told to by teacher.
“I never complain to the school, I usually just trust their judgement, but to eat outside on January 5 just because Nicola Sturgeon, the papers and news crews were there is unacceptable. It wasn’t a surprise visit so they had time to arrange for kids to eat inside.
“I am not a happy mum. She was ill before Christmas and had been off school and was choked up again after sitting outside in the cold. Why would they put kids outside to eat? They could have let them eat in the classroom surely? I’m disgusted.”
Nicola Sturgeon was visiting her old primary school last week to launch the new Scottish Government initiative of free school meals for all primary 1-3 pupils.
The First Minister spent a couple of hours at the school posing for pictures with pupils and staff and even sat down to lunch - in the dining hall. But according to some parents, that meant there was no space for their children to eat.
Another fuming mum Colleen Richards vented her fury and claimed that some kids were even without jackets.
She said: “I know three kids from Primary 2 that had to eat outside without there jackets on yesterday. Total disgrace.”
Another mum Linda McClymont said: “I phoned and was told they were sorry but apparently the person I spoke to said he eats his lunch or coffee regularly outside, aye right. Well my five-year-old does not.
“I find it disgusting that due to the First Minister, the media and North Ayrshire delegates, all of whom managed to be in the warmth for their lunch, that the school think this is acceptable. I certainly don’t and it kind of flies in the face of why she was there. How selfish and disgusting that adults are too self centred to get themselves seen and be seen, rather than help out supervising kids to eat inside in the warmth at this time of year. After all was it not supposed to be all about the children and their well being and welfare?”
Angela said she has since had an apology from headteacher Phil Gosnay.
She said: “I went up to the school and told Mr Gosnay I wasn’t happy and I know I wasn’t the only mum to do so. He was very nice and understand of the concerns I raised, but it just should not have happened in the first place.”
A spokesman for North Ayrshire Council said: “The majority of pupils had their packed lunches in the dining hall during the First Minister’s visit.
“Some P2 pupils were directed to have lunch in a covered outside area to prevent unnecessary queueing and congestion in the dining hall.
“The school has apologised to parents for this situation.”
The Irvine Times called the office of the First Minister but they were not available for comment.
- See more at:
http://www.irvinetimes.com/news/kilwinn ... Q9nPq.dpuf
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