Cllr Alan Lawther said: “The atmosphere as parents took tea and coffee in Ballyclare High School was one of suppressed anger and serious resentment that this problem had got to this stage.
“This minister who claims to put children first has only succeeded in putting this year’s 10 and 11 year olds through more stress than ever, parents confirmed numerous lost breakfasts, disturbed sleep and pale, anxious children being taken to strange surroundings out of normal school hours to practice an unregulated test.
“Although I have a little sympathy with her goals to reform the selection process and remove many of its failings, I too felt fury as my daughter left for her practice. The Minister has presided over and created this appalling situation by putting her Sinn Fein dogma ahead of child welfare. She needs to learn that she is part of a democratic government and not one where her Sinn Fein policies can be forced through regardless of the views of others. Is it not time we had a government by a voluntary coalition where policies are agreed by a majority rather than a forced coalition of extremes?
“However we got here, I feel so sorry for all the children caught up in this fiasco and hope they all perform to their potential when the real tests start, and I would like to commend the staff of Ballyclare High who did the best job they could to make the children comfortable.”
ENDS