Parents meet with MP over growing concerns about academies

Parents unhappy with the school academy system met with councillors and MP Yvette Cooper in Pontefract.

Around 30 people attended the meeting last Friday evening at St Mary’s Community Centre because of a growing concern around the treatment of youngsters in academies.

It was organised by Charmain Hannam, who set up the Parents vs Academies on Facebook and has more than 100 members.

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Most notably, they are unhappy with the amount of detentions being dished out to youngsters, or how they are put into isolation for what she says are ‘silly little things’, including no physical contact.

Mrs Hannam said: “You can’t even put your arms around your friend’s shoulder, or you’ll get into trouble.

“Schools are run as businesses now and they are not businesses. They do not care about children anymore.

“Something has to be done, there are children that are suffering, a lot of them have special needs.

“There are a lot of people who are scared to stand up.

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“The meeting went well, there was a lot of people who had some horrible stories.”

The group is now hoping to arrange a meeting with representatives from the district’s academies, while parents are also being encouraged to write to their MP to express to share their experiences.