Ballymoney school issue is challenge to unionists' commitment to sharing

3.45.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 3rd Oct 2008

Alliance Education Spokesperson Trevor Lunn MLA

Alliance Education Spokesperson Trevor Lunn has challenged Unionist parties to clarify absolutely their stance on a shared education system after a number of parents withdrew their children from a primary school in Ballymoney that has just taken up integrated status.

Trevor Lunn MLA said: "The Ballymoney Model Primary school already had a mixed intake to some degree, so to a large extent the move to integrated status is a logical progression.

"Both Unionist parties need to clarify whether they support mixed education or whether they wish to maintain and indeed enforce a Protestant/Catholic divide from our children's earliest years. This is a challenge to unionists who say they want a shared future. Unionist politicians need to show that they want to see an end to prejudice and division, and in doing so must show real leadership.

"The removal of children from schools because they move to integrated status merely confirms the view that we have a system split between Protestant schools and Catholic schools.

"Local politicians and parents need to consider the implications of such actions for the community. This is a vitally important facility and any threat to it would leave the area with much reduced services."

ENDS