By Julie Waters
A LEGAL challenge has begun against Education Minister’s Paul Given’s decision to reject the bids by two Bangor schools to become integrated.
Mr Givan made the shock announcement in January that plans by Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College and Rathmore Primary School to become integrated should not go ahead.
The DUP Minister’s department has now been sent pre-action letters outlining legal challenges to the Minister’s decisions in both cases.
Given the lack of an appeals process to challenge Minister Givan’s decision, it is understood the department has received judicial review pre-action letters from parents of a pupil at each school.
A joint statement issued by both schools said: “Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College and Rathmore Primary School are aware and supportive of potential legal challenges to the Minister of Education’s recent decisions to deny integrated status to both schools.
“In the absence of an appeals process, the Board of Governors of both schools feel that in reaching his decisions the Minister has left parents no other recourse and therefore understand and support those initiating such action.”
Bangor Academy, which has almost 1,900 pupils and is Northern Ireland’s largest school, held a ballot on the proposal to transform to an integrated school, which saw nearly 80% of parents and guardians back the move.
Rathmore Primary School, in Bangor West, received similar backing from parents for their plans, with about 82% of parents who voted agreeing with the move to become integrated.
According to documents published by the department, officials had recommended that both schools be allowed to transform to become integrated but the Minister decided not to approve that recommendation.
In rejecting the bids, Mr Givan said there was not enough evidence that there would be enough Catholic pupils at each school for it to provide integrated education.
He cited Stormont legislation which said that there should be ‘reasonable numbers of both Protestant and Roman Catholic children’ in integrated schools.
However he has faced some criticism for his decisions and they are now being legally challenged. The department has confirmed receipt of the letters and said it would be inappropriate to comment.
