This small phrase caught my eye, and was a source of great encouragement to me. My old high school is involved in a project which will see a purpose built high school, jointly shared with the town's other high school. The significance is not lost on anyone who has lived in the West of Scotland, or like me, was born and educated there.
In the summer of 2013, Port Glasgow will open a shared high school campus, where Non Denominational and Roman Catholic pupils will be taught. True, the whole campus is still divided in certain areas, to 'protect the ethos' of the individual establishments, but large sections are open to all pupils to mix, mingle and eat together. In my book, that's progress!
Scotland in general, and the West of the country in particular, has suffered from sectarianism for far too long. I have always thought we could tackle the problem if we put our minds to it, and here is a very obvious big part of the solution. These young students have the first chance in the town to think of themselves as a single body, and not as 'us and them'. Can you imagine the benefits this simple step could have in years to come? Let's do the same thing all over Scotland every time a new school needs to be built, or an existing one extended. Congratulations to the forward thinking of the faith leaders, and the education authority for having the courage of their convictions. We should get behind the change, and help in all and any ways we can! Yes, I am encouraged!
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