Have our pocket money . . if it will help to save our school

Published on Monday 6 July 2009 10:09

THEY usually spend it on sweets, toys and computer games.

But children at Drumbrae Primary are investing their pocket money in something a bit different this summer – the campaign to save their school.

Youngsters have been sending their precious cash to councillors, including council leader Jenny Dawe, to show how much the school means to them.

The council is proposing to close the school – along with three other primaries – next summer in a bid to save money.

The children have sent their pocket money to the three councillors for the Drumbrae and Gyle ward, with letters telling them to use it to keep the school open.

Karen Keil, part of the Save Drumbrae campaign group, said she hoped the ploy would give councillors something to think about when it came to deciding the future of the school.

She got the idea from the Drop the Debt campaign, which saw people send money to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mrs Keil said: "It caused the government all sorts of bother because they didn't know what to do with the money – they couldn't send it back, they couldn't spend it. We thought we would use this method to make the councillors' lives as difficult as possible.

"We want to show that these kids are willing to give up something that's theirs for their school. It's that important to them.

"The kids don't understand the ins and outs of what's happening but they are really worried.

"All they know is that these people who they have never met before are wanting to close their school and it's really frightening for them."

Former pupils, who now go to Craigmount High, have joined the campaign and have saved up money to send to their local councillors Colin Keir, Robert Aldridge and Jenny Dawe.

Elaine Keil, 17, a sixth-year pupil at Craigmount, said: "They are saying they have not got enough money so we thought if we sent them money and we keep sending them money then this is a way of getting their attention.

"Drumbrae is more than just a school. The staff are lovely and the school as a whole is right in the centre of the community."

The consultation on the closure of Drumbrae, Royston, Fort and Burdiehouse primaries starts next month.

The city council declined to comment on the issue of children sending their pocket money, while two of the councillors themselves could not be contacted.

Colin Keir, an SNP councillor, said he had received letters and money from the pupils, but would be returning it to them.

He added: "I understand it is not an easy time for the parents and children and I do have sympathy for them."

A council spokeswoman added: "These schools were selected for the consultation through a process to identify under-occupied schools.

"We must be sure the city's schools are well equipped, well staffed, full of pupils and offer the best value for money. This process can help us do that."