“Pupils vote overwhelmingly against City Campus”

On Saturday, Students Defending Dundee Schools took to the streets of Dundee to highlight what they see as Dundee City Council’s lack of consultation on whether there should be a city campus.

Students Defending Dundee Schools held a “vote” by pupils, parents and teachers in the city centre, with votes being collected in their purpose made ballot box in the city square which gave school students an opportunity to vote on whether or not they want the city campus. They were also collecting more signatures on their petition to add to the ones already handed in to the education department.

Wayne Scott, a pupil from Harris Academy said, “We met students and parents who told us that they think that the city campus is a ridiculous idea and that if given a proper consultation on it involving pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community then they would reject the proposals. Only a tiny number of people voted “yes” in the ballot which reflects the minimal support that the plan has amongst students in Dundee. We also spoke to a teacher who was concerned about the effects that the city campus and other cuts would have on education. We also collected signatures of students from almost every secondary school and encouraged them to get involved in the campaign. It is important that this campaign is present in every school so that we can build the broadest possible movement of school students against education cuts.”

The city council proposal is for students studying Advanced Highers to have their classes merged, meaning students will have to travel across the city to other schools or the universities to be taught in classes with pupils from different schools. Students Defending Dundee Schools believe this is a cut to education and it is ”education being run on the cheap”.

Students Defending Dundee Schools is asking the council to conduct a full consultation over the city campus with well publicised public meetings open to pupils, parents and teachers. They are also campaigning against the other £4million of cuts made to education in Dundee by the council.