Education did not do its homework
AS THE dust settles after a momentous few days in the States chamber it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the Education Department has been outplayed. As a group of principled, well-intentioned deputies, few departments come close to Education. They wear their hearts on their sleeve trying to do the best for the island's children.
But as politicians they come across as naïve.
In short, Education were outmanoeuvred last week because they refused to look into the abyss. The thought of having to close La Mare instead of its long-promised rebuild, thereby disappointing hundreds of pupils and parents, was so appalling that Education refused even to contemplate it.
So when Treasury minister Gavin St Pier effectively took control of the secondary school debate with his series of well-aimed amendments it dawned on Education that the threat of losing a school was getting more real by the second.
They were ill-prepared for the fight. Education's 300-page Billet had tried to sidestep the closure of La Mare instead of addressing it head on. A few paragraphs here and there talked of the disruption to pupils, the lack of school places and the time and costs involved but it paid lip service to the idea of not building La Mare, because it was unconscionable and alarmist.
It was so dismissed that among Options A to E it did not even get a letter, just a stamp of 'Not feasible'.
Yet here we are. Treasury left it until late but finally came clean about their real intentions and, without having done a full analysis, Education did not have the answers.
As ever in this twisting tale, it is not over yet. Education has been lucky to get a three-day break to dust themselves down, polish their arguments and go again.
They should not despair. Treasury might retain its 26 votes in the Chamber but the combined anger of La Mare and Grammar parents and pupils will be a potent force, especially in the general election. Candidates publicly promising to scupper these plans will do well.
But no one can pretend this has been this government's finest hour. If Education is bewildered, imagine how parents feel.
