The circus rolled back into Paisley at the Renfrewshire Education Board today at the council buildings, a crowd of parents were there and they were not happy, the reason? Well it shouldn't surprise us anymore to learn that the latest brutal cut in services will once more be in education. Convener Cllr. Cameron SNP has presided over the nastiest period for education in Renfrewshire in living memory and today she sat in residence again as plans were passed to sack 60 primary teachers and replace them with unqualified sessional staff teaching them things which most people seem to agree are already being taught by teachers, the question therefore is why?
Let's take sports which are one of the subjects where these sessional unqualified people will be involved with the kids. Let's imagine a St. Mirren youth coach comes in and advises them about football, would the coach be better at teaching football? Well notwithstanding their present league position the answer to that would have to be a yes so, where is the problem? the answer as in so many things is money. The plan to bring such specialist people in to schools will save Renfrewshire Council £1.2m a year because there will not be a teacher in attendance in the class and the specialist brought in costs approx. half what a teacher costs, the child will lose 2,5 hrs. A week usually spent in the presence of a properly qualified teacher.
The council in a display of rat like cunning and shear brass necked effrontery claimed this would be advantageous to the children and of course the big bonus would be the big annual saving of £1.2m a year. No one believes this the SNP/Libdem coalition don't believe it either but there is not one of them with the backbone to say so, they are all bought and sold and not one with an ounce of decency or shame. There are 3 special advisers on this committee who very rarely if ever cast their vote, after what they did today they should reconsider their position. Today the proposal from the SNP led council suddenly took on the appearance of that famous straw which broke the camel's back and all 3 ripped into the council as if they were throwing off all constraints. It was dramatic and uplifting to see and hear them, the SNP/Libdem councillors and the education officers looked as if they had been caught like rabbits in the headlights of an oncoming truck.
First up was the Rev. Father Boyle who represents the Catholic Church he relentlessly tore the council proposition to bits with logic, good manners and the know-how gained as an ex secondary teacher, he destroyed the council arguments with ease and did so with politeness and reason, (I must try this method some day) . Next up was the Rev Clark, Methodist Minister who introduced himself by giving his CV. Honours Graduate and University lecturer in several disciplines as well as Chaplain to several schools, the SNP/Libdem councillors and education officers shrunk before his onslaught of rational argument and impeccable logic, last up was a George Hamilton, a retired college lecturer from nearby Reid Kerr college a "weel kent" Paisley face who tore into the council with relish, he was quite brilliant. All 3 spoke from the heart and with great experience and all 3 condemned the council proposals, no axe to grind here of any kind it was humbling for the council but; they have remarkable powers of hypocrisy and they had their minds well and truly closed. The vote was won by 10 votes to 8 in favour of the council and against the teachers and unfortunately against the children as well.
This was the SNP in its narrow minded meanest mood; persuaded by council officers to embrace this patent nonsense and not one of them with the courage or intelligence to break ranks. 3 years ago they came to power and started by cutting education by £12m and went on to sack more teachers than any other council: provide us with the worst primary pupil teacher/pupil ratios and the second worst secondary pupil/teacher ratios in Scotland, educational projects which helped the less fortunate were dumped: music tuition was cut in half; this provoked the idiot Libdem Leader Eileen McCartin to release one of her famous 'Bushisms' when she wrote to the Glasgow Herald saying that Renfrewshire council would improve the musical ability of it's pupils despite cutting tuition in half, cutting music tuition out all together would presumably turn them into little Mozarts according to this idiot woman's logic, she is Social Work convener and deputy Leader of the Council, honest to God that is true! Schools were shut and school busses were cut as well and now this. Cllr. Cameron now sits as convener and shows no remorse or respect for anyone, I am eternally thankful that my children were schooled without the influence of her and the SNP/Libdem coalition anywhere near them and my pity goes to those who have the misfortune to have their children subjected to the people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing, how can anyone look at this crowd of nonentities and vote for them.
27 comments:
Are Labour not cutting music tuition in North Lanarkshire.
But I presume that is a good cut because it is from Labour.
I would recommend that any Renfrewshire constituent attends a full council meeting before casting their next vote.
You will never vote Labour again.
i voted Labour all my life because it was my Dad's choice until I realised how corrupt they were after my relation got involved with the council.
All labour care about is getting back in to power by any means possible.
They are the scum of the earth.
they also are bigotted and don't like women.
Mr terry kelly doesn't seem to like women as he is always running them down.
The SNP / Lib Dems will pay a price for this at the election next year. the only downside of this is that it is more likely that Derek McKay will stay on in Cotton St rather than get his lucrative berth at Holyrood.
I also look forward to a Labour party commitment to reverse this shameful decision should they be re-elected to run Renfrewshire Council after the next local authority elections.
I came to Renfrewshire to live nearly twelve years ago.
I will go back to my homeland in 6 months time.
I have had the opportunity to be involved with Renfrewshire Council recently and I can only say that they have been wonderful.
In the the last 2 and a half years my life has been transformed.
Thank You!!
Raoul.
By Raoul Faniboz on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 13/01/11
“I have had the opportunity to be involved with Renfrewshire Council recently and I can only say that they have been wonderful”
What was your involvement, were you helping them to persecute schoolchildren?
HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 13/01/11
I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are genuine so I will just ask you to explain the following “remark““Mr terry kelly doesn't seem to like women as he is always running them down”
You might also want to consider that I would be perfectly entitled to call anyone a thick idiot man or woman who writes to me in this way.
Mr Kelly,
I was at that meeting as an interested parent. After 40 mins I left for two reasons, one the Labour 'opposition' was appalling, the other was that listening and hearing the people around me I realised many of them were there for party political reasons. finally, the proposals
were explained by the people along the back and they were nothing like what was being bandied about. I left feeling used as did many others who drifted out before me. I did not hear of any teachers being sacked, yet you repeat the claim. Can you explain where these teachers are being sacked?
Liam MacLean
By Oakwood on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 13/01/11
I think the SNP and the Libdems are heading for a hammering at Holyrood and at Council level. The Labour Group will of course do everything in its power to restore our education provision to its rightful place when re elected. It would be dishonest of me to give guarantees at this moment because we still have 18 months and 2 budgets to come from the SNP/Libdems in Renfrewshire before we can look at what is possible. Based on what they have done to education in the past 3 years anything could happen. When we attack the SNP over cuts they always throw in the dishonest question about us replacing what they cut, my word of caution is best summed up by the saying “it’s quicker, easier and cheaper to destroy something than to rebuild it” that is why we must do all we can to stop this from happening now.
Take for instance the closure of a school, the SNP challenged us to promise to replace a school that they demolished, the cost of demolition was £300,000 and the cost to rebuild it was £8m. What we can give is a commitment to do everything possible to restore these teaching posts and repair other damage done by the present coalition.
By Anonymous on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... at 17:45
No wonder you choose anonymity. The Labour opposition which you describe as “appalling” has won the support of all parents except you if you are to be believed, all parent councils, teachers, teaching unions, all 3 education representatives at the board 2 of whom are religious ministers/priests. And have also gathered the signatures of over a thousand people in 48 hours to their petition. If that’s “appalling” just wait until we get into our stride.
Your attempt to bring in an argument about the word sacking is another pathetic attempt to dodge the issue. If you were at the meeting you could not have missed the constant references to sacking, axing, destroying jobs etc. etc. if you want to make an issue of the word sacking and how important it is please explain to me why the Convener of Education Cllr. Cameron SNP or the other 9 councillors who voted with her or indeed the Director of Education Mr. Naylor did not raise the matter of the use of that word?
There is a stench of SNP dishonesty and cowardice coming from you Mr. MacLean, the reckoning is coming.
What are you talking about there was about 11 parents at the meeting and if you look at the PDE photo, the Labour Councillor ratio of councillors to parents is about 1:2.
Another case of Labour using people as pawns to score political points - Shameful!
Labour are the sum of the earth and would rather see renfrewshire borrow and spend itself into bankruptcy instead of taliking the hard approach and restoring prosperity and financial stability to Renfrewshire, Vote Labour if you want your children to have no future!
The staff who will deliver the enrichment programme are qualified. They may not be teachers but have expertise & QUALIFICATIONS in their own field.As a parent I am delighted that my child will have access to a range of different people with expertise in a range of different disciplines. Perhaps you don't understand what curriculum for excellence is all about???
when did VER or ER mean sacking people? Please explain??????
Tell us you deal with the £25millon funding gap????
Dear Mr Kelly,
Thank you for your reply but you managed to completely confirm my original impression by not answering my point about your use of the word 'sacking' how many teachers are being physically sacked? I did not see or hear any of that except from some people seated in front of me whom I presume where councillors but the religious people never said it or the people at the back.
I am at a loss why you refuse to simply direct me to the right information I am seeking.
thank you Liam
By Anonymous on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... at 13:41
Liam you would be as well giving up the deception now, I’m not buying it.
Renfrewshire Primary Children will lose contact time with qualified teachers which will be replaced with people who are not qualified teachers at about half the cost.
Now then Liam you might welcome these changes for your children and you might even buy the bill of goods from the SNP which says that this will improve the education of your children and is not entirely to save money but I don’t and I look forward to you selling it to others.
If you do in fact have children which I find hard to believe they deserve sympathy for having a parent who is willing to see them disadvantaged for political reasons.
By Philip MaCann on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 14/01/11
Dealing with any shortfall in money means making savings and finding other sources of funding and it must in the case of local authorities be driven by priorities.
An example of the Renfrewshire SNP/Libdem council’s priorities is to take a wrecking ball to educational provision while giving very well paid council senior officers pay rises of 23%, spending money on fireworks, paying huge sums to ‘D’ list celebrities and holding Gaelic concerts, Labour has different priorities.
By Bob Bryar on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 14/01/11
I understand quite well about ‘curriculum for excellence’ is about and if you are a parent which I very much doubt I would have to say that my pity goes to your children having a parent who would see them disadvantaged because of their father’s political bias. You really have to be SNP/Libdem to act like that don’t you.
By Alex on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 14/01/11
Well if it’s this easy to stir people up we will have no problem, the parents didn’t even know about this until 2 days before the board meeting yet they wrote lots of emails, turned up at the board meeting and produced an unprecedented 1,000 + signatures on a petition in less than 48 hours.
We (Labour) will work with the parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and everyone else who is thoroughly sickened by the behaviour of the SNP/Libdem coalition in Renfrewshire Council. We will assist them in any way we can to stop the educational vandalism which the council is pursuing. Their callous disregard for our children’s futures and their contempt and disdain for the people of Renfrewshire is nothing short of brutal, the reckoning is coming.
Dear Mr Kelly,
thank you for your answer.
You explained that teachers are not being sacked as you have stated but that 'contact' time with pupils will be reduced.
Thank you.
Liam
@liam McLean
were you at the same meeting as myself? Of course it was mentioned that 60 teachers would be losing thier jobs, Mark McMillan, Jim Harte, Ian McMillan and Neil Bibby all Labour Councillors spoke against the proposal and gave a very good account of why parents were against it. I was there as a parent and for no other reason so for you to suggest that people were only there as some political ploy is insulting to every worried and concerned parent who bothered to sit and listen to what was actually being said, Father Boyle, Rev Clark, and Mr George Hamilton were absolutely fantatsic and couldn't have put the concerns of every Renfrewshire parent, perhaps you shouldn't have left so early and you might have heard what eveyone else did.
Anonymous - Saturday, January 15, 2011 5:48:00 PM.
60 teaching jobs will be lost and taken up by unqualified staff saving the SNP/Libdum council £1,1m./year if this vicious cut goes ahead.
Anyone who is prepared to see educational provision for primary kids diluted at such an important time in their development for the sake of political prejudice is contemptible.
That's you and the dangerous and reckless fools who are in charge of Renfrewshire Council.
By Anonymous on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... at 18:39
When you find out that your children are to have their education provision diluted at a very important time in their development it is understandable that you would get involved in the matter.
You should take account of where the insult about being politically motivated is coming from, these people are beyond reason. I believe they are prepared to do this knowing it is wrong but they will do it because of political bias and that is revolting.
You quite rightly hit the nail on the head when you refer to Father Boyle, Rev. Clark and George Clark, I have been a councillor for 13 years and I have never known these guys to vote or get involved in a debate before, it’s unprecedented and it’s a very powerful stand they have taken.
For the SNP/Libdems to question their integrity and that of the parents tells you what the fight ahead is going to be like. I think the parents and everyone else concerned about the children’s education will fight this tooth and nail because their cause is just, what cause means more to anyone than the welfare of their children?
Dear Mr Kelly,
I truly despair, I am seeking to understand the facts and you appear to resent that.
In plain terms, HOW are 60 teachers being sacked from their jobs? if it's about less contact time.
I only seek to get to the true facts and it appears difficult.
I will seek an answer from the council.
thank you for your efforts.
Liam
By Anonymous on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... at 20:07
Good luck with the council Liam but: I suspect they will see through you as easily as I did.
Hi, I was also at this meeting, I was shocked and stunned at Mrs Cameron and her slang "us yeans and youse, it wisnae us". Surely this must by it’s self answer the concerns of the parents, If Cllr Cameron can't string a sentence together, what hope have the schools and the future of our children.
Scott & Donna Parker.
By Anonymous on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... on 21/01/11
I don’t speak like a newsreader myself so I won’t go there but: I will say this Cllr. Cameron is completely and utterly out of her depth and does as she is told my council officers just the like the rest of the SNP/Libdum coalition.
Maybe there are so many parents against this because there are "concerned parents" outside schools giving out inaccurate information and telling downright lies to other parents to scaremonger them into signing letters and petitions? I really hope the labour group and so called activists do not get their way and deprive children of this opportunity which ,of course is a cost cutting exercise, but in my opinion if Renfrewshire council can cut costs in innovative ways which enhance my children's educational experience then they are to be applauded. If this is scrapped what will the outcome be in terms of other cuts? School closures? Loss of other school activities? Seems to me that no-one in opposition has their own mind and will oppose EVERYTHING put forward no matter what the outcome.
Thank you
Leslie
By Anonymous on HOW DO YOU IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION? “FIRST, SACK... at 12:04
The first thing I have to say is I don’t believe you are genuine hence the anonymity.If you are I hope people will note that all of those parents (and I have still to find one who supports the SNP/Libdem proposals) and the teachers and the education unions and the 3 co-opted educational reps. on the education board, one a University Lecturer and church minister another an ex secondary school teacher who is now a priest and a third who is a retired college lecturer, I could site more but: they have all been duped.
If only they had your towering intellect to allow them to see the truth, in all my 11 years as a councillor I have never heard the education co-opted members speak yet all 3 saw fit to speak on this issue and all 3 were scathing in their condemnation.
I’m afraid your argument reeks of partisan duplicity. What does “Thank you Leslie” mean? did your pen run dry or your brain perhaps?
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