Unseen massive protest against education dossier at Knokke-Heist city council

The bone of contention is the transfer of the schools De Pluim and Het Anker. As a result, municipal education disappears and the schools are transferred to community education GO! . A very controversial educational protocol, as was apparent from the presence of hundreds of opponents alone. Parents, grandparents, teachers and children were also present at the Knokke-Heist municipal council, which exceptionally took place in the Graaf Leopold Lippenspark.

“Real estate operation and not a merger”

The tension was already apparent when the councilors arrived. They were treated to a flute concert by those present. Eventually, the demonstrators were also allowed to attend the city council itself.

The opposition stirred during the city council. “It hurts that municipal education with 500 students has to disappear after 200 years,” we hear in an intervention. “This is the height of cynicism. The municipal schools should and should be sold to GO!”, is what the opposition says. “There has never been a debate that education is no longer a core task of the municipality. This is about a real estate operation,” says the opposition.

The opposition is stirring fiercely, including disagreement within Municipal Interests

Opposition party N-VA wanted the item removed from the agenda. “This file has no support,” she says. “Confidence has given way to frustration in the school community.” The Vooruit faction is also fighting for the preservation of Pluim and Anker together with parents and staff. “The majority is pushing an undemocratic decision down our throats,” says Vooruit.

The plan also causes disagreement within the majority party Gemeentebelangen. Some council members of the majority want the municipal council to ‘follow the heart’. Alderman for education De Brabandere defends consultations that have already taken place between liberal and socialist education unions about the merger. And alderman Demeyere denies that it is a real estate operation.

Mayor pleads for rationality

Mayor Piet De Groote himself reacted with emotion, but nevertheless called for common sense to prevail in this dossier. De Groote wants to use resources as efficiently as possible in this dossier and does not see education as a core task for the municipality. He wanted the city council to decide.

Despite N-VA’s counter-proposal, a narrow majority (16 against 13) voted in favor of the education merger. The en masse of opponents then left the room. It seems very likely that this file could also play a role in the municipal elections next season.