York school reorganisation

Let us put the record straight and clarify the position regarding cornprehensive reorganisation in York. Press coverage has to be selective and can consequently be mis-leading.
The impression given by recent newspaper articles and letters about the York situation is that York is split down the middle about what is to happen in the next few years. This is far from the case.
L. J. Fleming of Plymouth (November 17), who, after reading the Catholic Herald, draws a comparison between York and Plymouth, has accused the nuns of the IBVM of threatening to withdraw if the headship of the new school cannot be reserved for them. (One phrase used was "seeking privilege through threats").
No such "threat" has ever been made. What is called a threat was, in fact, an answer to a deliberate and carefully worded question to the Superior of the IBVM in York at a public meeting held on October 11 by the Parents' Association of the boys' secondary modern school — a meeting, incidentally, which was held despite knowledge that the representatives of the Leeds and Middlesbrough diocesan commissions could not attend on that date,
The question forced the Superior to say what must be patently obvious — namely that if the nuns were not teaching in the new school there would be no income for the cornmunity to live on and, since the forming of an independent school,run by the I.B.V.M., is out of the quesf+on and, in any case, would constitute an undesirable alternative to the new comprehensive, they would be compelled to look for work elsewhere. This is no threat, simply the statement of a plain economic truth.
People who twist this to make it sound like a threat do irreparable harm to the reputation of the nuns and to the maintenance of unity among the Catholics of York and
district. It should be added that the nuns are more than anxious to be allowed to continue to serve the Catholic community of York.
It has become clear during the past few months that the majority of
teachers, parents and others who have attended reorganisation meetings in that time have accepted the present proposals as the best possible under present circumstances.
Parents of existing and future pupils have shown at these meetings that they value most highly the academic and pastoral contribution the nuns have made and that they are anxious above all that this should continue.
We have been told again and again that there is no money either in the Leeds or Middlesbrough dioceses to, provide a new school, nor, presumably, would the Department of Education and Science entertain such an idea, since we have been told that existing buildings must be used as far as possible; nor, for the same reasons, could we extend one of the existing secondary modern schools.
We should be grateful, therefore, to accept the offer of the IBVM to provide the bulk of the money to adapt their own buildings and use them as the senior section of art I I to 18 comprehensive school.
The community lives in the middle of the school premises, and surely it is not unreasonable for the nuns to ask that in a situation where the convent and school are so inextricably interlinked the head should be one of them, if there is a suitably qualified and experienced nun to do the job?
Judging by recent meetings, it appears that Mr Pat Kiely (also November 17) is one of a small minority in York which refuses to accept the facts of the situation as they are. Not only does he continue to bring bad publicity by his incessant protestations to the Press, but he also gets his facts wrong!
The nuns do not ask for guaranteed headship of the new school. They do not ask for permanent positions for all the teaching sisters. What nonsense! It would seem probable that on a staff of about 50, the nuns, subject to normal appointments procedure, might number no more than seven or eight.
They do not seek "substantial power on the governing body". They will, if the proposals are accepted by the D.E.S., have four foundation governors out of 18 on the governing body. They will be individuals and not a cabal with a block vote.
To continue with such futile and dangerous objections is to damage the very "mutual trust and respect" which Mr Kiely claims is needed. it
was Mr Kiely who, as president of the York C.T.F., reported to the Press, without the permission or knowledge of the majority of those present, what had been said in a private meeting of that body. So much for "mutual trust and respect".
As anyone who has been connected with Catholic education in York over the last ten or more years knows, the different possibilities have been discussed time and again. Every avenue has been investigated and the present proposals have emerged, accepted by all but the most intractable as the only viable solution to an almost insoluble problem.
Of course it is not an ideal solution. Of course we would all prefer tht headship to be "open" with the possibility of the best person, lay or religious, being appointed to the post.
But circumstances make this impossible, and it may well be that an IBVM head, with experience and knowledge of running an academic establishment as well as schools with an academically, comprehensive intake, will prove to be the best person for the job.
Most of those involved — parents, teachers and religious alike — appear to be prepared to work together to make the new school even better than the sum of its component parts, and what a school that would be!
Sheila Westland Deputy Head.
The Bar Grammar school, York.