Anne Cannon: Return to school boards would be a step backwards

IN his comments in this newspaper on the McCrone deal for teachers, Ross Martin suggested bringing back school boards, but fails explain why he considers them a more effective method of increasing parental involvement.

He also makes no mention of the Parental Involvement Act 2006 and the rights granted to parents and guardians.

My own experience of school boards was a meeting I knew happened once a month with a small number of people. Minutes would be available and from memory I think I was entitled to attend but not to speak unless invited to do so. Whether my recollection of the way in which school-board meetings operated is correct or not is irrelevant, since their existence did little to involve the wider parent forum.

School boards required any parent who wished to be considered for one of the few places to submit a statement which was then viewed by the whole parent body and a vote taken. Even the most enthusiastic parents were put off by this process.

By contrast, the Parental Involvement Act 2006 gives parents/guardians the right to form a parent council. Through this, local authorities have to listen and respond to concerns expressed by the parent forum via the parent council. This legislation has gone a long way to giving all parents the opportunity to participate in the life of their child's school.

Meetings are open to all parents and informal, which allows parents the chance to express opinion of a general nature in what is hoped is a relaxed atmosphere. Parent councils are also often represented at an authority level via parent council forums, allowing parent councils to come together and communicate with one another and the authority on a wide range of issues.

The Parental Involvement Act, if utilised to its full extent, provides a powerful voice through which the needs of all children aged three to 18 years can be represented.

A return to the School Boards Act 1988 would be a backward step, especially at a time when scrutiny and transparency is so greatly needed and our children's education needs so in danger of being compromised.