influx of travellers

john m · Post by **john m** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:42 am

we have just heard that our small town in south lincs may become a site for a large permanent gypsy camp. because of the location of this site the school attended by my children is likely to be the one forced to try and educate the offspring of these people.
can anyone who has experienced this give any feedback. the only comments i have been able to gleen so far are all very negative and in some cases resulted in parents removing their children to other schools because of very difficult situations which arose. i would have no hesitation in doing like wise but would like some information before taking further steps. obviously, if the site is not developed then the problem goes away, but i would wish to at least be forewarned of any real difficulties which we might face. the school have not been at all helpful and have said that because they are in a falling role situation , they will welcome any newcomers irrespective of their background and in any event the lea will force them to take these children.
i am not i repeat not in any way racist but i have come across many instances in my business life where these people threaten and intimidate to get what they want and have no respect the law or others, schools included.
i would welcome comments that contributors may have.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:56 am

We have a permanent gypsey site close to us. The children attend local schools but the children are spread around several schools. They arrive by taxi in the morning and often settle in well especially the young ones - however often their parents stop them from coming shortly after they've started. It has not had too much of a detrimental effect on my children's education.

katel · Post by **katel** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 12:33 pm

Just be thankful that your children will have the opportunity to learn that there are lots of different sorts of people in the world and lots of different ways of living. Education is more than the three Rs you know!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 12:40 pm

We have a large illegal gypsy camp close to our village. Most of the children are enrolled in our local school although to my knowledge their attendance is poor. A few attend other local schools and have very little impact on them as numbers are small, however there were too many in my local school and over the years parents have steadily withdrawn their children. There are now very few local children attending the school. I don't believe parents of children previously attending the school had any great difficulty in getting them transferred to other schools however as my children never did attend that school I can't speak from personal experience. I have heard some horror stories concerning behaviour at the school but this is an illegal gypsy site, the parents are delibertately flouting the law and are generally hostile towards the local community. The situation may be entirely different with legally settled gypsies because they are law abiding have some consideration of the rights of others. They may not cause you any problems at all.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:23 pm

katel wrote:Just be thankful that your children will have the opportunity to learn that there are lots of different sorts of people in the world and lots of different ways of living. Education is more than the three Rs you know!

A school not far from us had taken in travellers' children from an illegal site. They only wanted to learn how to read and write and add up (the three Rs you know) and were not interested in anything else, such as topic work, drama, games, art, etc. They would turn up occasionally and leave when they had had enough.
However, a proposed site which is legal may have a different impact and you may find the diversity refreshing rather than disrupting!

teacher · Post by **teacher** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:38 am

Where do you expect 'these people's' children to be educated if they are not allowed to attend your nice local primary? Are they not entitled to an education or are they supposed to quaintly remain unable to count or read and therefore even more excluded from mainstream society?

Footymad · Post by **Footymad** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:17 am

totally agree.

Footymad

xx.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:15 am

Hi

Would like to add a few comments and give a different angle to this thread.

Firstly, it would have been better if Guest who posted originally had included "some of" or "a few" when making his "I am not racist" comment.

The gipsy community is recognised within UK society as being a group with their own personal identity and culture. Within the UK the gipsy community is recognised as a race of people who are persecuted and often misunderstood. There have been many instances of violence against gipsies including the death of an 11 year old child in Ellesmere Port who was beaten to death by a group of very nice English boys.

All children living within the UK have a right to an education irrespective of their religion, race or culture, but not in some people´s backyards apparently.

There is a small town in Spain, called Ginestar, which for some reason has become a magnet for UK citizens. The local primary school, that caters for a small number of Spanish/Catalan children, this year had an influx of 12 UK children. The general opinion is that many of these children are disruptive, unruly and are lacking in discipline.

Regards

Mike

katel · Post by **katel** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:12 am

Here, Here, Mike!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 1:12 pm

Good comments, well-made. I too would have made the same comments as Mike some years ago had subsequent experience not have coloured my opinion. I had to sell-up and leave my home after continued aggravation from a local legal gypsy camp. This was always being raided by police and the air was generally thick with burnt-out tyres from vehicles stolen and stripped by the gypsy community. Possibly there is s distinction here between 'real' law-abiding gypsies and those who have hijacked their namesake to have become the scurge of many local communities such as our own.
I don't think anyone should feel guilty about at least raising a concern over this matter - especially when considering something as emotive as their children's education. My own experience is hardly unique!