Some pupils in West Dunbartonshire are set to watch Scotland’s first appearance at a major tournament for 23 years.
The council has delegated authority to each individual headteacher, but one angry resident contacted the Lennox Herald and claimed students at Dumbarton’s biggest school weren’t being allowed to tune in.
Scotland’s Euro 2020 opener against the Czech Republic takes place on Monday afternoon with kick-off at 2pm.
The 1998 World Cup in France was the last time Scotland’s men qualified for a national tournament - well before any of the pupils at the school were born.
The source told the Lennox: “This is a huge day for Scottish sport and cultural life in general.
“It should be an uplifting experience for young and old alike. Children, for the first time in their lives, will see their country represented at the highest level in men’s football.
“It therefore pains me to hear that the headteacher of one of our local schools, Our Lady and St Patrick’s, has banned the game from the establishment.
“I would have thought that a collective celebration of our nation was exactly what the wellbeing of our youngsters needed, but staff have been informed that the school should follow ‘business as usual’ - and that the introduction of the new timetable is more important than the near momentous event at Hampden Park.
“This will result in many children not attending school, so missing out on the social aspects of school life that were labelled as sadly missing during lockdown.”
A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “We had no official plans to allow pupils time to watch the international football match on Monday and it was up to individual schools and their headteachers to decide.”
The decision came as our sister paper, the Daily Record, launched their You May Give Us Lines, But You’ll Never Take Our Fitba campaign - which urged schools to let youngsters watch Scotland matches.
Labour’s education spokesman Michael Marra also gave his backing, saying: “This is a significant cultural moment which will bind the nation together and young people need to have the opportunity to be part of it.
“Near the end of the toughest of school years, the Government should give the green light for the game to be shown in every classroom across the country.”
Teaching union leaders agreed, with Larry Flanagan, the general secretary of the EIS, saying schools should “turn it into an event for pupils.”
He added: “Schools should be encouraged to do it.
“It is down to schools whether they allow it but I am sure a lot of teachers would welcome the opportunity to watch it too.”
This week Western Isles Council tweeted: “We are very happy to allow pupils in the Western Isles to cheer Scotland on in schools, on Monday June 14, as they feature in their first major tournament since France ’98. This has been communicated to all our Head teachers.”
Whilst Scotland star John McGinn weighed in on pupil Poppy Lord’s campaign at St Stephen’s Primary in Clydebank to let pupils tune in.
Responding to a letter from the pupil pleading to her teacher, McGinn posted: “Some letter Poppy and an even better school! C’mon Ms Crombie!”
Yesterday (Thursday) the school gave permission for the children to watch history being made.
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