‘Woke’ ESS brought States into disrepute

However, these issues have nothing to do with either our Catholic schools or discrimination. Instead, I believe the behaviour of Deputy Roffey and his [Employment & Social Security] committee are the real issues that need addressing. Deputy Roffey and his committee have brought proposals that could result in the closure of three excellent, well-loved schools with disregard for potentially incurring millions of pounds of additional costs, requiring higher taxes plus potential legal expenses.

Deputy Roffey and his committee have jeopardised a long and valued 150-year States partnership with the Catholic schools in delivering education and failed to properly consult with those schools, their dedicated staff or the parents who choose to send their children to Catholic schools, while having consulted Humanists UK, an off-island lobby group, for their opinion.

Deputy Roffey and his committee have brought the States of Guernsey and our community into disrepute through the disgraceful, dismissive, and disrespectful way they have treated the delegation from the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth.

Deputy Roffey and his committee’s proposals are themselves discriminatory. They would remove choice from parents who wish to have their children educated in a Catholic school.

Furthermore, undermining Catholic schools’ ability to appoint Catholic head teachers discriminates against the Church and its right to operate schools according to their ethos.

I believe the proposed legislation is yet another example of woke, nanny-state proposals which will increase government intervention in our lives and increase costs for both government and businesses. However, whatever the perceived merit of the proposals, I can conceive of no justification for the behaviour of this committee.

DEPUTY CARL MEERVELD