It has been suggested that another public meeting should be held where issues can be discussed and where everyone, including teachers, council members and councillors would have the opportunity to put their views forward and respond to the concerns that people have.
Use this poll to show whether or not you believe another public meeting should be held.
This poll will run for the next 7 days.
Tracey
I think it would help. I have a lack confidence in the current school management, so do not see how i can approach them with my concerns.
I have read this site and attended the last meeting which only reinforced the impression i have that anyone with concerns is treated negatively. If another meeting was held, perhaps we can be reassured by a representative from the education authority/council/school of how the decline in Marton, evident over the last couple of years, is going to stop.
KATIE
MEETING
Yes I think we should have a meeting. I think there will be a lot of parents who would like to attend, I know several friends who are concerned.
If the Inspectors are coming to school, could we try to link the two events? Does anybody know when the inspection will happen?
PR
Don't forget that some of the people who might most want to vote for a meeting have been banned from using this site and would probably be too scared to attend a meeting anyway. That is the staff and governors of Marton School.
Lisa
Just to be clear, following PR's post, the staff and governors were allegedly banned from using the site by Mrs Coupe and Mr Turner.
I definitely think we need another public meeting. Hopefully no members of the clergy will try to stop the next one.
frustemp
meeting
I think it would be very useful to have a meeting. [I don't seem to be able to vote though???]
Your group is having a serious impact on the council. There are a number of officials who are desperate to see this forum go away as it is damaging them greatly.
Just look at the latest jobcuts that have been introduced in an attempt to save money. It is clear that Marton has cost hundreds of thousands to cover up for mistakes already made. Most of the experienced teachers have chosen to leave and the school is at an all time low.
The departure of David Sanders is quite significant, as David Lund took over from him when Blackpool went unitary. Who will be next for the chop?
Good luck.
sarat
OPEN OFFER?
Will this meeting be open to parents from other schools?
PR
Frustemp if you click on to open this thread the poll should appear at the top and you can vote.If you still cant contact the administrater.
Alan Veale
Reasons for meeting
I am not voting on this occasion as I made the request to admin for this poll to take place.
I just want to explain a few things as to why I feel that everyone now needs to consider the need for open debate. In doing so, I must remind you that, since the last public meeting, the situation affecting Marton Primary School has changed.
In October 2005 I invited both Ruth Coupe and David Lund to address an open meeting of parents so that we all had an opportunity to air our views and concerns about what was then happening at school. While a “closed” meeting to discuss the Post-Ofsted Plan had been held at school, there were still many issues that were clearly worrying parents and staff, not the least of which was the puzzling suspension of the assistant head teacher and the resignation of the Chair of Governors. These are matters that are now consigned to history, but the situation in school has continued to decline.
Both Mrs Coupe and Mr Lund declined to attend, and the latter in particular declared that he did not consider it appropriate for him to speak while the suspension hearing was still awaited. However, prior to the meeting Mr Lund recognised that there were indeed problems besetting the school, and agreed to work with parents with a view to resolving those problems. AFTER the meeting, once he had been presented with a list of facts established by the Action Group surrounding various issues in school, Mr Lund changed his mind, made no attempt to communicate with parents, and instead threatened us with legal action by the local authority. It was that threat which drew the attention of Councillor Jon Bamborough to the serious nature of the Marton School issue. Sadly, very few other Blackpool Councillors have shown a similar interest.
Many other events have since been featured on this forum, prompting some lively debates, and the “sub judice” excuse from authority officials over Mrs Alderson’s suspension can no longer be trotted out now that lady has been cleared of any wrong-doing. The Chief Executive of Blackpool Council, together with officials in central government are very much aware that the problems at Marton Primary School are still there, are not going away, and no matter how much certain officials may wish it, the way in which the whole thing has been mis-handled by the LEA is NOT going to be brushed under the carpet.
This issue has not just affected parents, children or staff at Marton – it has had an impact much further afield. We have heard how thousands of pounds of ratepayers’ money has been wasted, and how jobs are being cut. We have seen how other schools in Blackpool have been adversely affected in both their budgets, their staffing and their roll numbers – all as a direct result of the way the LEA have tried to solve things their way. We have seen how one Councillor’s right to have his voice heard in Council has been un-democratically squashed because other Councillors did not want the subject discussed. In short, we have seen too much that we never wanted to see.
The proposed meeting is therefore not just an opportunity for parents and staff to air their views. It is also an opportunity for the Chief Executive of Blackpool Council to put things right! I sincerely hope that he will agree for Council representation, should the meeting take place. We need to hear from someone in authority that someone is genuinely prepared to act responsibly on this issue once and for all.
Alan Veale
mary
It surprises me that anyone would vote against holding another public meeting.
After all, if you still have complete faith in Mrs Coupe as a Head, and in David Lund and the CSA in the organisation of education in Blackpool, then surely you would like these views aired? Wouldn't it be better to prove to those of us who continue to question and doubt, that actually, we've got it all wrong; that results are improving, that progress is being made; that the falling rolls are totally down to lower birthrate in Blackpool; that the staff leaving Marton in droves are simply moving on for their own professional development etc etc etc?
However, I realise I'm disregarding one important factor: those of you still backing Mrs Coupe and the CSA find the best tactic seems to be keep your head down, repeatedly ignore the questions, and hope that things will blow over.
Has nobody realised yet that things will never blow over while there are still these unanswered questions?
A meeting is your golden opportunity. Prove it to us, once and for all, and I, for one, will publicly eat humble pie.
AR
What would be the point ?
I honestly cannot see the point of holding another meeting. Look at the history over the last two years and the people holding office. Mary points out that they haven't answered questions. When they have spoken they have not spoken the truth and often deliberately tried to cover it up. At the first meeting the staff of the school even tried to disrupt it in the most shameful fashion. The governors deliberately wrecked a hearing with the teacher's union - and the worst culprit, with no patience or thought for others was parading himself as as Christian minister !!!
Can anyone really believe that those in charge will now attend a meeting, let alone hold up their hands and admit to mistakes ?
Still, who knows, Blackpool may get a new attraction - pink pigs flying over Marton.
HM
voting
Looking at the viewing figures of people watching this forum they are not reflected in the voting figures of the poll. Many people obviously don't want to, or don't know how to become members.
Admin, is there any way of changing the poll to allow every visitor to vote?
Alan Veale
Result
This poll has run now for its allotted time, and while I acknowledge that this has been conducted over a busy time for all of us, this is still a valid “snapshot” of our viewers, busy or not.
Thank you to all those of you who placed a vote, and to those who added their own comments, for or against. I do not profess to be the best at analysing statistics, but for me the result is pretty clear:
While there is a simple two-thirds/one third majority in favour of a public meeting, the numbers do not reflect anything like the total number of views the post itself is recorded as receiving. Acknowledging that many of those “views” will be from the same set of regular visitors, there is still a large number of people who looked, but did not feel inclined to record a vote. I would therefore count these as “don’t knows”, and this would therefore appear to be the majority. Poster “AR” makes a valid point about the need for Council input, and I feel that many of us have reached a point where it is felt that, without Council input at such a meeting, there is little point in calling one.
It must be remembered that many of those who have felt so strongly about the campaign from the outset have already taken action: as parents who have removed their children from the school; or as teaching staff who have moved on to other jobs. Anyone still with children at Marton Primary School now must be content enough with the way matters are being conducted there. Those teaching staff still remaining must also view matters in a similar way – or be too frightened to speak out in public. I suspect that is likely to be the case for “Tracey” and others who use pseudonyms on this site. Overall however, the message is clear – not enough people still feel strongly enough about Marton Primary School to warrant a public meeting.
While it is a sad reflection of public apathy for me to write that last sentence, I see no point in continuing this debate if the general public in Blackpool simply don’t care, one way or the other, about how their children are educated. The minority who DO care must continue to lobby their public representatives independently, and to place their trust in those remote figures of authority who remain honest enough to serve the electorate with integrity.
Alan Veale
AR
Apathy
As I stated in my earlier post I see nothing being achieved in an 'open' debate. This was something which was need 18 months ago but sadly, as Alan has said, a large number of Marton parents have remained apathetic about the plight of the school in their community and its downward spiral. I think now they deserve what they get - a poor education, poor goverrning body and a sink school. I may be able to do nothing and despite many parents having moved their children, whilst I did not support a meeting, I feel it is my duty as a member of society to continue to do whatever I can to point out the wrongs of the management at Marton and the consequences of its actions, wherever I can. After all it is our taxes being wasted and the future of children's lives being affected. Whatever the current crop of parents, staff and governors at Marton accept as the norm will NEVER be accepted by those who want the best for ALL children.
WAYNE HEYS
The thought of another public meeting puts a big smile on my face for the following reasons, do we honestly expect the the three amigo's to turn up, lets face it, Mr Lund is so far under his desk, it would probably take a mountain rescue team to find him!!!!
As for Mrs Coupe,, she has a more questions to answer than a contestant on Mastermind !!! No doubt Mr Coupe would oblige, making notes on the evenings debates no doubt.
Then Mr Turner, I will use his sunday name as I dont want him to come on here ranting and raving about how we are such terrible people for targeting the Marton management team without due reason, he has filled our minds with such clap trap that he should be embarrased to be in public office as a councillor.He simply hasn't got the bottle to turn up. OR HAVE YOU ?
So there you have it, by all means lets have another public meeting, the only peole to attend will be those low lifes commonly known as PARENTS whose motives will be extremely questionable, I mean, how dare they want a good education for their children !!!
Over the past few years I have seen just how our great councill works, or rather doesn't, the children of Marton school fall second in a pecking order headed by people who are constantly polishing off their own ego's.
In the Wild West they would have been run out of town, who said society is getting better !!!
