Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery is calling on the Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell, to step in and further the consultation period with parents on proposed boundary changes to the intake zone for New Lambton Public School.
Ms Hornery was reportedly contacted by concerned parents late last week after they discovered they had only 24 hours to lodge objections to the Department of Education proposal.
The proposal would see sections of New Lambton Heights that are close to the school, shifted into the intake zone for Wallsend South Public School.
Some students would be forced to travel more than 3km to school, instead of the 700m they currently travel.
Some students would be forced to travel more than 3km to school, instead of the 700m they currently travel.
Ms Hornery has called on the Minister to ensure there is a comprehensive consultation period and a thorough review of the current and proposed boundaries is undertaken.
“This whole process has been rushed and the community are rightly up in arms over the way the whole process has been undertaken,” said Ms Hornery.
“Major decisions like this should involve a comprehensive consultation period with the community who will be impacted. Instead we have a ham-fisted attempt at getting this change through with the majority of people excluded from having a say.
“I understand the school is at capacity and some changes need to be made, but the proposed changes are ridiculous and simply don’t make sense.
“It is obvious when you look at the proposed changes that someone in Sydney who has never visited the area has drawn the new boundary lines.
“No consideration has been given to the impact that Stage 5 of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass will have on the ability of students and parents to get their children to school safely. The lack of a school bus service would mean parents would be forced to drive their children to school on already congested roads or have their children walk to school, crossing a number of major roads.
“The current and proposed maps are mind boggling to say the least and I invite the Minister to sit down with me and concerned parents to review the changes and look at other alternatives,” Ms Hornery said.
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| Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons |
