Deputy "could not support ESC or requete"

Thursday 05 March 2020

Deputy Charles Parkinson has explained why he abstained from a crucial and marginal vote on the future of secondary education.

One of the sub-plots to the States' monumental 18-17 vote in favour of the "pause and review" of education reforms was that Deputy Parkinson chose not to vote on the issue - after 30 hours of debate, over four days.

A vote for the requete would have seen it win by a larger margin, while a vote against it would have resulted in a tie and the requete's defeat. 

"I have been asked why I abstained in the vote on the requete," he posted on his social media. "ESC cannot proceed with their plans in the face of opposition from a large majority of teachers, the douzaines and other key stakeholders.

Pictured: ESC President Matt Fallaize and his committee are yet to respond to uncertainty over the future. 

"There needs to be a period of focussed but genuine consultation on their plans. As it happens, it emerged that P&R would find it difficult to use its authority to approve the final business case, because P&R are split on the issue."

While he could not support ESC, he said the requete as unamended was similarly insupportable. 

"It will likely come back to the States, that means a delay which can be used for the consultation. But, to avoid further delay, the consultation needs to be focused. ESC rejected attempts by Deputies Le Tocq and Inder to reduce the scope of any review."

Amendment 7 is the way to go. Three 11 - 18 schools with 6th forms, which means the schools have to be specialised and the end of geographic catchment areas. Will the States see sense?

— Charles Parkinson (@armoricana) February 27, 2020

Pictured: Deputy Parkinson spoke strongly in favour of three 11-18 schools with specialised sixth forms. 

"So did the requerants. The requete is far too wide, too vague and the timeline is undeliverable," Deputy Parkinson concluded.

"I was therefore unable to support either the ESC position or the requete. Consensus government requires compromise, and neither side was willing to make a compromise."

Pictured top: Deputy Charles Parkinson.