7,000 sign petition saying single-sex schools in Kirklees must be preserved

Nov 24 2008 by David Himelfield, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MORE than 7,000 people have demanded that Kirklees Council maintain single-sex education in Batley.

Some 7,300 residents have signed a petition against the council’s plan to replace Batley Boys’ Education College and Batley Girls’ High School with a co-educational school.

The petition was organised by Batley BSF Working Group which includes members of the Indian Muslim Welfare Society, the Pakistan Kashmir Welfare Association and the Muslim Women’s Group.

A spokesman for the group said: “This petition demonstrates overwhelming opposition to the council proposals to close the two single-sex education schools in Batley.

“It further proves no confidence with the council’s proposals and that the consultation process was fundamentally flawed.