What must head teachers in Renfrewshire think of the council’s education convener Cllr. Cameron SNP; they are unfortunately unable to comment but they will be upset obviously at the SNP/Lib. Dem. cuts in education of nearly £9 million in less than 2 years in office, who would blame them for that but, they get on with the job as best they can and do their utmost to deliver a good education service despite savage cuts by the SNP led administration.
Imagine their dismay then at the convener when she came away with this slippery piece of evasion; at a full council meeting when she and the administration were under attack for cutting music tuition in half she said in mid rant “anyway it wasn’t us who cut the music tuition it was the head teachers themselves who did that”
So, head teachers are told that they have to accommodate cuts of approx. £9 million and they are quite rightly included in the discussions about this. Cuts are identified in various fields which they are obliged to swallow and get on with it, one of the cuts we now know is music tuition which we also now know caused a furious reaction from parents, children, teachers and the public. From the parents of a P6 pupil to internationally renowned conductor James McMillan and music schools and musicians, from orchestras to newspaper music critics; the chorus of disapproval was and is overwhelming, the Glasgow Herald’s music critic Michael Tumelty furiously describing the SNP led councillors who took this decision as ‘lunatics’
This led to Cllr. Cameron’s lowest moment yet; when the heat was on and she was under pressure; when she and the administration should have had the courage of their convictions and stood up to be counted; when they should have done the honest thing and defended their actions what did she do? She shamefully shifted the blame on to the head teachers, remember these cowardly words “anyway it wasn’t us who cut the music tuition it was the head teachers who did that themselves”
Approx. £9 million of education cuts in under 2 years and the pain and dismay which must be going with those cuts, especially for the head teachers who still have to somehow deliver and; when one of the cuts blows up in to a storm of resentment what does she do? She runs and hides; she and the SNP can’t justify the cuts and they don’t have the courage to try.
Parent to Cllr. Cameron, Cllr. Mackay et al. “Why did you cut music tuition?” Cllrs. Cameron, Mackay et al. “it wisnae us; it wis a big boay who dun it an ran awa, an he looked like a head teacher” How goes the "esprit de corps" among the teaching profession in Renfrewshire with people like this in charge?
This is the reality of the SNP/Lib. Dem. administration folks, remember it in future.
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12 comments:
Will you be speaking out on Margaret Curran's disgusting nationalist attack on historian David Starkey and if not, why not?
Can you address the hypocrisy of your stance on this when your own party are closing eleven schools and nine nurseries in Glasgow with no plans to replace any of them.
According to your own parties statement "this has to be done to save money"
This move by Labour affects over 2000 pupils in Glasgow who will now have to be travel in buses all over to be accomodated.
How can you defend Labour these savage Labour Education cuts in one breath and criticise other parties for making savings on education elsewhere.
You are by far the biggest hypocrite that I have ever come across.
I was press-ganged into attending a recent ‘cooncil’ event, usual, nice suite in the town hall, nice glass of wine, nice selection of eats at the buffet.
The only downside was having to listen to Councillor MacKay’s supposed inspiring and staff rousing speech. Really listening to every word was painful like chewing on silver paper with a mouth full of fillings, or having to sip bitter bitter vinegar. He has no presence and no charisma, every word is forced and hollow. In his defence he was trying to puff up his schoolboy slender frame to stand alongside the Chief Executive – a man at ease with crowds and who’s ‘patter’ flows and finds a welcome in the audience.
As I work for the authority I had to try and look interested and appear to hang on his every word. Not an easy task. If I were some visitor unfamiliar with Paisley I would be thinking, have they brought back the Skillseekers, and is this wee lad doing this for his SQV Level 2 in Administration. In the end I spied someone playing catch with their dog in the Abbey’s grounds, they looked like they were having fun and I watched and reacted to them, so I think I pulled it off.
So nice to have this get together with other staff, just as the rumours of compulsory redundancies starts to make its rounds.
Keep up the good work with the blog, just a quick question will Rayleen be standing again at the next election? I miss her contribution to council life.
I have looked and can’t find anything on this.
Anyway I agree with Starkey’s remarks in general about Burns, Bagpipes Etc. even although I find him an odious self publicist.
(Robert) 07:16
I can only assume that you have not read my remarks on this before so I will repeat them for you.
I have never said anywhere that there should never be a school closure, I have voted as a Labour Councillor for schools to close before and; if I thought it was the right thing to do I would do so again, there are no revelations here, this has always been my position.
The last labour administration in Renfrewshire closed schools and also opened 10 new schools as well as putting the funds in place to renovate all the other schools in Renfrewshire, something to be proud of no?
This post is about cuts in Music Tuition and the SNP are guilty of abdicating their responsibilities and leaving the head teachers swinging in the wind, they are a bunch of cowards and liars.
It’s their cuts and they are trying to get people to blame the head teachers, absolute charlatans.
(Anonymous) 14:20
Cllr. Mackay insists in doing this despite how dreadful it looks,
I think your remarks about compulsory redundancies are spot on.
Rayleen is gainfully employed in a job which she enjoys so I’m not sure about her running next time; I am sure however that she will continue to be involved in politics; that may mean a return as a candidate in future.
It’s worrying times for council employees and the SNP/Lib. Dems. will not have any sympathy with workers, they have attitudes which are just like Thatcher’s when it comes to workers and unions, troubled times ahead I fear.
Full Labour reaction here
http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/labour-mps-attack-outrageous-insult-on-scotland
I was referring to your Labour colleauges in Glasgow who are closing all of these schools and nuseries in Glasgow with no plans to replace any of them and I was asking how you can defend your parties savage educational in this area.
Surely your party should be treating people in all areas in a generally similar manner.
It would appear that Labour don't value children's education in Glasgow.
If you read the papers and watch the television news, you will see that there has been a massive outcry and protests from parents and pupils regarding these education cuts by Labour, however, they are not interested and have said that the schools and nurseries will close regardless.
Labour- the caring party!!!!
I know little about the proposed school closures in Glasgow, other than what has been reported in the media. I am led to believe that the age and state of repair of the buildings is a factor.
Such a thing would never happen in Renfrewshie. Oh no, we have the SNP in power.....
Shut Newer Primaries.
(Anonymous) 26/04/09
See comments under “being talked about” post.
I think I have given my views on school closures at some length, you have not said anything new here, do you want/need me to regurgitate my previous remarks?
(Anonymous) 14:39
South Primary is only 20 years old and the SNP are shutting it that is unacceptable.
People should remember the remarks of Mr. John Rooney Director of Education Renfrewshire Council when asked at a public meeting how many primary schools we in Renfrewshire needed he replied with candour and nerve that “we have 10 too many” the SNP are conveniently forgetting these remarks and they want us to as well.
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