this is such a failing on the future of Orkneys children and will end up costing the OIC in the long run. Do the right thing and change your decision.
J
Jenny Findlay
8 years ago
I would prefer to pay more in either Council Tax or Income Tax, or both, to improve service delivery within education provision, healthcare, pension provisions and the emergency services than suffer their continuous decline.
H
Hilary
8 years ago
This is so short sighted and unfair. How can this discrimination possibly be justified?
E
Elaine Gordon
8 years ago
What ill-thought-out cuts! First the Language Unit, and now Support for Learning Staff - who are the kingpins for keeping many within main-stream schooling .....many children ....but also many, already overstretched, teachers!
These cuts will immediately come at a human cost, and in the longer term will result in huge financial demands on adult support services. I truly believe that, with the right support at the right time, each of us can become a valued member of our community. And for children, their families and their teachers, that time is now!
B
Bea Cook
8 years ago
We have first-hand experience what a difference appropriate additional support in the classroom can make
H
Hilary Thompson
8 years ago
SFLA’s work very hard at a very difficult job and cannot take any more cuts
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
Support for learning staff do a wonderful job, helping children and supporting the work in classrooms.
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
I cannot comprehend how this service can be cut. Councillors, come and spend a day in a classroom which has children with additional learning needs and then see if you still agree with your decision. My son is in a class which has 2 children with additional needs. Without the extra support, the teacher, and all the pupils (both those with additional needs and those not) will suffer. What will become of the children with additional needs, will they be removed from mainstream education or left to struggle? I understand that cuts need to be made but please, this is not the way.
L
Lynell Martin
8 years ago
To cut this funding would mean the student would suffer, as would teachers and all other classmates. Grossly unfair for all, but especially for special needs students and their families.
C
Caroline Wickham-Jones
8 years ago
All children deserve a good education. I'd prefer to stop austerity, pay a bit more tax and bring back our services so that we can build a compassionate society once more. The price of austerity has been loss of compassion and opportunity - did we want that?
C
Carol Granere
8 years ago
Have you misunderstood? The proposed cuts are for staff who earn less than any other council employee, so how can you "sympathise" with them?
L
Lesley Thomson
8 years ago
Cut something else. The children that need assistance when at school will not thrive if the help is withdrawn. It's not rocket science.
C
Carol Granere
8 years ago
Er - I live in Orkney - where on earth did "Inverurie" come from?
C
Carol Granere
8 years ago
This is such a bad idea for so many reasons. Every child has an equal right to fulfil their potential, legally and morally. Support staff can be the difference between a child succeeding and feeling positive about themselves, and feeling they've failed. Is this what we want? The people who voted for this myopic money-saving scheme either don't realise what they've done, or don't care - not sure which is worse. Support staff are already paid less than council employees whose job it is to wash dishes, which shows how little they are already valued. But this also shows how little money will be saved compared to cutting posts elsewhere - dead wood in other areas of the council (certain "management" posts) could be more usefully chopped. There needs to be a complete re-think,
where children are seen as valuable assets rather than expensive inconveniences.
M
Marie Nicolson
8 years ago
I think we all know a bairn/s who benefit from this support, would be awful to see it cut
D
Deborah Stead
8 years ago
It's imperative we keep our support staff for young people with needs. They are underpaid for what they do.
M
Meghan McEwen
8 years ago
This is not the way to make savings.
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
Surely there must be a less harmful way of making the savings
S
Shona Thomson
8 years ago
Just wrong - all children deserve the best chance in life - not struggling through lack of support!!
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
Shocking - very surprised to see which councillors voted for cuts!! Visit the schools and see what a devastating loss to children's education these cuts would make!! Invest in our children - they are our future!
this is such a failing on the future of Orkneys children and will end up costing the OIC in the long run. Do the right thing and change your decision.
I would prefer to pay more in either Council Tax or Income Tax, or both, to improve service delivery within education provision, healthcare, pension provisions and the emergency services than suffer their continuous decline.
This is so short sighted and unfair. How can this discrimination possibly be justified?
What ill-thought-out cuts! First the Language Unit, and now Support for Learning Staff - who are the kingpins for keeping many within main-stream schooling .....many children ....but also many, already overstretched, teachers! These cuts will immediately come at a human cost, and in the longer term will result in huge financial demands on adult support services. I truly believe that, with the right support at the right time, each of us can become a valued member of our community. And for children, their families and their teachers, that time is now!
We have first-hand experience what a difference appropriate additional support in the classroom can make
SFLA’s work very hard at a very difficult job and cannot take any more cuts
Support for learning staff do a wonderful job, helping children and supporting the work in classrooms.
I cannot comprehend how this service can be cut. Councillors, come and spend a day in a classroom which has children with additional learning needs and then see if you still agree with your decision. My son is in a class which has 2 children with additional needs. Without the extra support, the teacher, and all the pupils (both those with additional needs and those not) will suffer. What will become of the children with additional needs, will they be removed from mainstream education or left to struggle? I understand that cuts need to be made but please, this is not the way.
To cut this funding would mean the student would suffer, as would teachers and all other classmates. Grossly unfair for all, but especially for special needs students and their families.
All children deserve a good education. I'd prefer to stop austerity, pay a bit more tax and bring back our services so that we can build a compassionate society once more. The price of austerity has been loss of compassion and opportunity - did we want that?
Have you misunderstood? The proposed cuts are for staff who earn less than any other council employee, so how can you "sympathise" with them?
Cut something else. The children that need assistance when at school will not thrive if the help is withdrawn. It's not rocket science.
Er - I live in Orkney - where on earth did "Inverurie" come from?
This is such a bad idea for so many reasons. Every child has an equal right to fulfil their potential, legally and morally. Support staff can be the difference between a child succeeding and feeling positive about themselves, and feeling they've failed. Is this what we want? The people who voted for this myopic money-saving scheme either don't realise what they've done, or don't care - not sure which is worse. Support staff are already paid less than council employees whose job it is to wash dishes, which shows how little they are already valued. But this also shows how little money will be saved compared to cutting posts elsewhere - dead wood in other areas of the council (certain "management" posts) could be more usefully chopped. There needs to be a complete re-think, where children are seen as valuable assets rather than expensive inconveniences.
I think we all know a bairn/s who benefit from this support, would be awful to see it cut
It's imperative we keep our support staff for young people with needs. They are underpaid for what they do.
This is not the way to make savings.
Surely there must be a less harmful way of making the savings
Just wrong - all children deserve the best chance in life - not struggling through lack of support!!
Shocking - very surprised to see which councillors voted for cuts!! Visit the schools and see what a devastating loss to children's education these cuts would make!! Invest in our children - they are our future!