Back in 2011 Carmarthenshire closed Ysgol y Gwendraeth and merged it with a Welsh medium school and so opened Maes y Gwendraeth. Many people were affected and articles were written in the local press to complain about the merger.
Now we read about another example of the policy to eradicate English medium education in Carmarthenshire. Glasnost (2016) has written a piece comparing the policy to George Orwell's 1984 and the overly burdensome state interfering in all that we do. Parents are once again complaining about the intolerant policy of coercion.
Why would Carmarthenshire want to close one school and open a Welsh medium school only? It is simply down to Labour's policy to increase the number of people that speak and use Cymraeg. There is absolutely NO mandate for this policy. How many people actually vote for Labour? 16% of the population according to one commenter. In the last election, only 41.8% of people actually turned out to vote for anyone. Yet Labour pursues its' devastatingly damaging policies with nowhere near a majority.
In this election, the collusion between Plaid and Labour is evident here
The parties are so concerned that an
alternative view exists to their coercive oppressive hegemony they collude to extinguish the hope of dissenting voters.
I watch with eager anticipation at the result of the election and I hope for a new voice to be heard across Wales. Labour's complacency has for far too long been left unchecked. It is time for those with an alternative opinion to be heard. But not just heard, to be treated fairly and to be given back the freedom to choose a language to learn, if bilingualism is the panacea for all ills Labour would have us believe it is. Children and families need to be able to choose the path that is best for them. If a child is great at languages then let them explore this field in a class with like-minded individuals. However, if they are great at art or coding let them freely explore that area unhindered. After all, with the prevalence of MOOCs and online courses and training, parents and children will opt out of formal coerced education in favour of a tailored suite of instruction sensitive to the needs of the individual. Time is up for Labour's hollow folly.
End Cymraeg coercion.
Updating this story: (May 2016)
Dalling, R. (2016, April 27).
Llangennech parents unanimously vote against controversial Welsh-medium school plans. Retrieved May 3, 2016, from
http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Llangennech-parents-unanimously-vote/story-29186401-detail/story.html
There is also a very interesting blog on this issue:
Keep Llangennech Primary Dual Stream. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2016, from
https://keepllangennechprimarydualstream.wordpress.com/
Update May 24th
Journal, C. (2016). Plans to make Llangennech a Welsh school passes first stage despite parents' protests. South Wales Evening Post. Retrieved 24 May 2016, from
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Plans-make-Llangennech-Welsh-school-passes-stage/story-29308869-detail/story.html
References
1984 for real: Death of English Medium Education for primary school pupils in Wales | Glasnost. (2016). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
http://www.glasnost.org.uk/2016/04/1984-for-real-death-of-english-medium-education-for-primary-school-pupils-in-wales/
Dalling, R. (2016, April 27).
Llangennech parents unanimously vote against controversial Welsh-medium school plans. Retrieved May 3, 2016, from
http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Llangennech-parents-unanimously-vote/story-29186401-detail/story.html
Keep Llangennech Primary Dual Stream. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2016, from
https://keepllangennechprimarydualstream.wordpress.com/
Shipton, M. (2016).
10 days to go: The latest polling on the battle for the Assembly. walesonline. Retrieved 25 April 2016, from
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/what-latest-polling-shows-battle-11237413
South Wales Evening Post: discussion by Penyfai. (2011). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/discussions/Carmarthenshire-County-Council-want-eradicate-EM/discussion-13871749-detail/discussion.html
Watch as parents launch protest over plans to make Llangennech Welsh medium primary school. (2016, February 23). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Parents-launch-protest-plans-make-Llangennech/story-28792826-detail/story.html