Strike threat for school
PARENTS will pull their children out a Cairns state school in a strike aimed at fixing "Third World conditions" there.
Strike organiser Mark Cash yesterday said the State Government was failing Trinity Beach State School students and the community.
"This school has none of the things other schools have," he said.
"They just keep patching it up. There’s no real change.
"Something has to be done. I don’t want to have to shift my kids to another school."
Parents and children yesterday gathered outside the school, ahead of the planned strike, to voice their concerns about its condition.
"We need fair, decent facilities," father of two Neils Munksgard said.
"We need somewhere where the kids can play when it’s raining. The grounds are completely waterlogged."
"The classrooms are very crowded … there are a lot of general maintenance issues."
Mr Munksgard said he believed if things were not fixed soon, more parents would take their children out of the school, which was established in 1970.
"I put it down to inefficiency and bureaucratic neglect," he said.
Barron River MP Steve Wettenhall agreed the school needed urgent attention, but said a student strike was "ill-conceived".
"I don’t support the proposition that students attending the school be disrupted and embroiled in an issue that has nothing to do with them," Mr Wettenhall said.
"This is not the way to go about achieving outcomes for the school."
Mr Wettenhall said he hoped to fix rusty guttering and drain pipes, which were contributing to the school’s drainage problem, with special funding.
A statement released by the Education Department yesterday said flooring containing asbestos was being managed in compliance with the Queensland Government’s
policy.
"The school has also organised for maintenance staff to urgently address ongoing problems with the junior toilet block," the statement said.
Both the Far North Queensland executive director of schools and the regional facilities manager met with the principal yesterday and inspected the school.
The strike is planned for between 9am and 10am on Wednesday, March 26.
Mr Cash said he expected to see at least 300 parents and their children get involved.
"Everyone we’ve spoken to has said they will be coming."
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Drastic action: Students and parents of Trinity Beach State School community are prepared to stage strike action in protest at sub-standard facilities there.
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