Gaelic petition, scroll down for English translation:

Rinn Comann nam Pаrant Shlиite tagradh, le taic bho Chomunn na Gаidhlig agus daoine eile, gu Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd san t-Sultain 2005 ag iarraidh orra gum biodh Bun-sgoil Shlиite ann an ceann a deas an eilein air a comharrachadh mar sgoil lаn-Ghаidhlig. Bha an tagradh againn mar fhreagairt do dhа sgrмobhainn: Plana Cаnain is Cultair Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd agus sgrмobhainn poileasaidh Bтrd na Gаidhlig, Towards a National Strategy for Gaelic. Tha gach tи de na sgrмobhainnean seo a cur a-mach slighe leasachaidh na Gаidhlig agus a moladh gum bi sgoiltean lаn-Ghаidhlig air an cruthachadh far an gabh e dhиanamh.

Tha e air a bhith mar phoileasaidh aig Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd on bhliadhna 2002 gum biodh inbhe cho-ionnan aig a Ghаidhlig s a Bheurla ann am bun-sgoiltean le ionadan Gаidhlig. Ach anns a phаipear cho-chomhairleachaidh a tha foillsichte air lаrach-lмn Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd thathar ag aideachadh nach gabh seo a dhиanamh ri linn na tha de luchd-obrach is sgoilearan aig nach eil Gаidhlig ann an sgoiltean Beurla le ionadan Gаidhlig.

Tha cuid a creidsinn gu bheil an sgoil a th againn dа-chаnanach ach chan eil sgoil dа-chаnanach sam bith ann a Alba. Tha an sgoil a th ann dа-theangach - a ciallachadh gu bheil an dа chаnan ag obair innte ach gu bheil tи dhiubh (a Ghаidhlig) aig inbhe nas мsle agus air a cuingealachadh a thaobh cleachdaidh. Air sgаth nach eil sgoilearan an ionaid Ghаidhlig a cluinntinn no a cleachdadh a chаnain aca ach fмor ainneamh taobh a-muigh an t-seтmair theagaisg, chan eil doimhneachd chainnte is fileantachd aca mar a bhitheadh ann an sgoil lаn-Ghаidhlig. Ann an sgoil lаn-Ghаidhlig bhiodh cuid den chlаr-ionnsachaidh air a theagasg tro mheadhan na Beurla o chlas 3 air adhart ach bhiodh a Ghаidhlig air a comharrachadh mar chainnt na sgoile. Bhiodh tachartasan do luchd na sgoile air fad ann an Gаidhlig, dhиanadh iad cтmhradh ri sgoilearan eile is ri inbhich innte, gheibheadh iad biadh na sgoile is ghabhadh iad pаirt ann an tachartasan spтrsa is ealain is mar sin air adhart tro mheadhan na Gаidhlig. Tha eтlaichean cаnain air feadh an t-saoghail ag aontachadh gur e lаn-bhogadh den t-seтrsa sa, far a bheil an cаnan ga chleachdadh anns gach gnмomh, anns gach cтmhradh, anns gach car a nм iad, a bheir clann gu fileantachd ann an cаnan sam bith. Do chаnan a tha fo bhrщthadh is an cunnart a dhol а bith, mar a tha a Ghаidhlig san lа an-diugh, is cothroman cleachdaidh cho gann sa choimhearsnachd, tha e riatanach gum bi sgoiltean lаn-Ghаidhlig air an cruthachadh gus sgilean cаnain nas adhartaiche a thoirt dhan chloinn agus a mhisneachd a thoirt dhaibh a thig an cois sin. Chan eil ionadan Gаidhlig a th air an cuingealachadh s air an dм-chothromachadh ann an sgoiltean mтr-chаnanach a dиanamh feum gu leтr.

Tha Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd air co-chomhairleachadh poblach a ghairm air a chщis a thтisicheas air an 18mh latha den Ghiblean 2006 agus a ruitheas gu meadhan an Тgmhios 2006. Nach cuir sibh ur taic ris an iomairt aig Comann nam Pаrant gus sgoil lаn-Ghаidhlig a chruthachadh ann an Slиite san Eilean Sgitheanach le bhith a cur ur lаimhe ris a bhileig fodha.

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Comann nam Pаrant Shlиite, with support from Comunn na Gаidhlig and various individuals, wrote to the Highland Council in September 2005 requesting that Bun-sgoil Shlиite in South Skye be designated as a dedicated Gaelic medium school. Our letter was in response to two documents: the Highland Council Gaelic Language and Culture Plan and the Bтrd na Gаidhlig policy document, Towards a National Strategy for Gaelic. Both of these documents map out the way forward for the Gaelic language and recommend dedicated Gaelic language schools wherever possible.
It has been Highland Council policy since 2002 that Gaelic and English should have equality of status in primary schools with Gaelic units but in the consultation document posted to the Highland Council web site they concede that this is not practical due to non-Gaelic speaking staff and pupils in twin-stream schools.
It is wrongly believed that the current school is bilingual but there are no bilingual schools in Scotland. The existing school is diglossic, i.e. two languages are present but one (in this case Gaelic) is of lower status and is used only in restricted situations. Because the Gaelic medium pupils do not regularly hear or speak Gaelic outside of the restricted classroom setting, they are not able to gain the depth and breadth of the language that they would do in a dedicated Gaelic school. A dedicated Gaelic school would include English as part of the curriculum from P3 onwards but would allow the children to socialise with each other and with adults, get their school dinners, take part in all-school activities, enjoy creative and sporting activities through the medium of Gaelic. Sociolinguists and language experts throughout the world agree that the holistic language experience available in this way through socialisation and transaction is what brings children to fluency in any language. For an endangered minority language such as Gaelic in the present day, where language use is so poorly supported in the community, dedicated language schools are essential to produce fully confident and properly fluent Gaelic speaking children. Language units with their restricted opportunities in majority language schools are not enough.
Highland Council has decided to hold a public consultation on the issue starting April 18, 2006 and ending in mid-June.
Please sign up below to support the Comann nam Pаrant campaign for a dedicated Gaelic medium school in Sleat in the Isle of Skye.