Act of 'betrayal'

Joe Wheeler expressing the frustration of pupils

THE head boy at a school riven by legal battles says pupils have been "betrayed".

In an emotional posting on Facebook, Joe Wheeler highlights feelings of pupils at Saddleworth School, which has been prevented from moving to a new site at Diggle by a High Court ruling.

He wrote: "Well it just comes to show doesn't it... I'm all for people speaking their minds, everyone deserves the right to state their belief.

"That's just freedom of speech after all.

"But what I can't comprehend is how people can protest and petition AGAINST an action that could in simplistic terms begin the modernisation of education in the Saddleworth area.

"This change wouldn't affect just the 1,500 people at the school, I mean at this period in time it wouldn't change my life whatsoever because I'll be long on my own path in education before there is a new build.

"So you might wonder 'well why bother wasting your time on something that won't change your life in the slightest?'

"My simple answer to this you will find in my initial sentence. I have as much freedom to my own opinion as anyone else in our district.

"Fair enough I may be biased as the current head boy but I think that gives me more reason to tell you exactly what the pupils of Saddleworth School are feeling today.

"We feel betrayed honestly. Betrayed by our own neighbours, who at this point are barricading the education of all pupils at Saddleworth School and those yet to be welcomed.

"Our school is a truly remarkable place. The tightly knit bond between student and staff is impeccable.

"We are a community. A community that in recent years has not been given the credit it perhaps deserves.

"The facilities do not reflect the calibre and standard of pupils and staff the school produces. The construction of the new school should not be a battle between the villages.

"We should all be in unison to allow the children of tomorrow every single opportunity to flourish within their education. I do not expect nor do I want to force my opinions on anyone. All I want is for the protesters and petitioners to really imagine and put themselves in our shoes.

"We go to school everyday to broaden our own knowledge and allow us to have the best chances of success in our lives.

"All I want is answers and reasons as to why anyone would want to prevent pupils from achieving their very best.

"Don't get me wrong, we at the school get by with what we've got and very rarely complain as we are grateful to be fortunate enough to be blessed with the right to an education.

"But we can only do so much with the ageing, derelict building we are currently working with."

He adds: "I have no intention whatsoever to tarnish the near perfect reputation of Saddleworth School. My only intention is to inform the residents of Saddleworth the opinions of the vast majority of pupils at our remarkable school."

Cllr Steve Hewitt, who shared the post, said: "Keith Lucas and SDAG should be thoroughly ashamed of the nimby attitude and ruining children's education."