Local Child deprived of place on school bus - update

10.49.11am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Sep 2006

Forced to take public transport...

Within hours of reading last week about 11-year old Hatfield girl Sydnie Jai being refused a place on the school bus to Townsend C of E school in St Albans because she was not baptised, LibDem County Councillor Malcolm Cowan had arranged for it to be raised at a council meeting about faith school transport the following day.

'I was astonished when I read what the county council spokesman had said; I was convinced that with the glare of publicity, the Tories would admit the policy was nonsense and change the rules; however, instead they were angry it had been raised, and offered no concession' he said.

'Every parent will want their child to get to and from school in the safest way possible. What could be safer than being on the school bus?' said Malcolm.

'When there was the debate at County Hall in July about withdrawing free faith school transport, the Tory spokesmen claimed they would do everything possible to get and keep children on school buses instead of having them driven to school and clogging up the roads.'

'Instead we find out they are operating discriminatory practices to keep some children off buses. Once a child has been admitted to a school, it should be treated the same by the council as the others, not have their religious status used to deny them something sensible. I will carry on fighting to have this stupid policy reversed' he concluded.

For further information, contact Malcolm Cowan on 01707-324723.