BCE say there will be no more dialogue over the decision to close Seton College
Members of a group formed in a desperate attempt to save a Brisbane Catholic college from closing are outraged over the latest response to their efforts.
Southeast
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Parents and former students desperately trying to save a Brisbane catholic school from its controversial closure have been left stunned after their latest attempts appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Members of the Save Our Seton group, which was formed last year when Brisbane Catholic Education announced Seton College in Mt Gravatt East would close in 2024, are furious following the BCE’s latest response to a letter from a local politician in support of the school’s continued operation.
A foundation member of the SOS group and current Seton College parent, who calls herself Susie Seton, said the response was the latest in a “horrific” and “intimidating” experience with BCE.
The letter to the BCE in support of the continued operation of Seton College, which has catered for children with learning difficulties and disabilities since 1964, was from State Member for Moggill and Shadow Minister for Education Christian Rowan (LNP) on April 29.
BCE director Pam Betts responded saying “while we remain willing to engage with Seton’s parents and caregivers through official and established channels, we do not believe further dialogue about Seton’s continued operation would be beneficial at this time”.
Ms Seton said they were completely stunned BCE could respond in such a manner.
“They keep talking about all the communication they are giving to parents, but yet they are unwilling to meet face-to-face with concerned parents who have so many questions unanswered,” she said.
“The parent forums they mentioned in the letter were a very intimidating experience for parents and carers.
“They had security at the door, we were told we could not speak to one another. Each session only lasted an hour, and each family group was only allowed to ask one question each.
“People were distraught, there were screams and shouts, crying and wailing. The whole experience was horrific.
“The one and only time I have been present and Pam Betts and Doug Ashleigh have actually stood up in front of the parent body and spoken with us was back in August last year.
“Since then we have only received blanket emails and newsletter articles.”
The response from BCE also comes after the shock dissolution of the school’s only parental representative association.
The Seton Collaborative – a hybrid of a P&F Association and the school board – was disbanded following the sudden and unexplained resignation of three of its executives.
“There is nothing caring or compassionate about their dealings with the families of Seton College,” Ms Seton said.
“It is so sad to see the college which is now a shadow of its former self, as they slowly wind it down and make it really difficult for the current families to continue.
“We are not giving up. This is now a story much bigger than a small secondary school of special character in Mount Gravatt East.
“The gradual demise of Seton College is not only affecting current students and their families, but is also having a huge effect on those students and their families who wanted to go to Seton. Instead they are being forced to find alternative education elsewhere, in already oversubscribed and under resourced mainstream schools.
“The bottom line is the decision to close Seton College impacts all the students who aren’t disabled enough to go to a special school but have too many ‘needs’ for current mainstream schooling.
“These vulnerable teenagers who wish to come to Seton no longer have this option and for many families who have already tried mainstream, their only other option is to homeschool. “Surely there is a place for Seton College in the future of Brisbane education.
“In fact we believe there is place for more Seton Colleges across the state, as there are more and more children diagnosed with additional needs every year.”
The BCE declined to comment.
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