A ROW has erupted amid claims that an education authority is trying to get round new legal protection for rural schools in the way it is trying to close three.
Highland Council is proposing to close Dunvegan, Struan, Knockbreck and Edinbane primary schools. They would be replaced with a new amalgamated community primary school for north west Skye on a new site in Dunvegan.
The decision to go out to public consultation was taken in May and the consultation closed on July 11. But the final decision will not be taken until November 12.
However, from August 1 new regulations came into force which are based on the presumption against closure. Some local parents believe the consultation was held earlier to get round this.
The EIS's Highland Regional Secretary Andrew Stewart said: "I can quite understand why parents in the north of Skye might be concerned about the procedures for the proposed closure of three local primaries."
He said the timing of the public consultation seemed rather odd, given the new regulations regarding school closures only came into force in August.
"These require local authorities to carry out more rigorous consultations on all school closures, but in particular on rural schools. So we would call for complete transparency."
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