Reaction to Charleston Academy mice infestation: ‘That disgrace of a place needs bulldozing!’
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Locals have been responding to the second pest-related incident affecting Charleston Academy within two months and are demanding Highland Council make delivering a new school a priority.
Last week, practical lessons at the academy's home economics department were suspended after mice which was just the latest in a long line of problems in recent years.
Most recently the school suffered a mite infestation, it is one of three in the Highlands found to contain dodgy concrete that led to another school block in Thurso closing, and on top of that have been burst pipes and asbestos found.
One concerned parent with children at the school, Marion Rennie, is worried that given the litany of problems the school building has faced recently if it closed it could result in home-schooling – something she says would be totally unacceptable.
“My heart goes out to the pupils and staff at Charleston Academy over more disruption," she said. "Highland Council must prioritise Charleston Academy as an immediate new build.
“Highland Council has a duty of care to children to ensure that if the school has to close appropriate alternative accommodation is available. Home schooling is not acceptable, indeed it is damaging to our young people’s wellbeing and academic success.”
While Danielle Morrall posting online summed up what she felt should happen with the 777-pupil school: “That disgrace of a place needs bulldozing!!”
According to a spokeswoman for Highland Council "practical lessons" have been stopped while pest control and joiners work with the school to remove the mice and secure the area. It is hoped classes will restart this week.
In June, the headteacher of the 777-pupil secondary school announced its sudden closure after the discovery of red mites so it did not reopen in time after the summer holiday as specialist advice had to be sought.
To add to the school community's woes, the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered recently but the council was advised the school did not have to close.
The concrete – used in the 1960s and 1970s – is now regarded as unsafe leading to which was found to no longer be safe.
The process to get planning permission for a new build school started last month, with the project expected to be developed over stages.
