THE PARENT group of a Catholic primary school in Oban have threatened Argyll and Bute Council with legal action for ‘discrimination’, after it denied pupils seats on the school bus.
The MacGregor family from Ardconnel Farm have attended St Columba’s Primary School for generations without difficulty, until 10 years ago when they learnt the council had reduced the school’s catchment area, denying their children free transport to their nearest Catholic school. Since then they have paid the council thousands of pounds to take their two daughters to school on the bus.
But earlier this month the council told the MacGregors there was no longer space for their daughters or three other St Columba’s pupils, because they were being given a ‘privileged’ ride. Other children in the area are entitled to the seats free, because they attend another primary school in the same building.