Press Comments

Resignation

As most of you will now know I have decided not to seek re-election in May. It was a very tough decision and very much a personal one. The next Holyrood Parliament may now run for five years to avoid the next Westminster elections – and in those circumstances it is right for me to go now.

I am looking forward to spending more time with my twins, Caitlin and Michael. Of course I will work full time – like so many working mums – but the special demands of politics that add in many evenings, weekend campaigning, party meetings and a four hour commute to Edinburgh are just not right for our family. I am incredibly grateful to have had the chance to represent the constituents of Paisley North and I would like to thank everyone for their support over the years.

I am delighted to see Labour has moved quickly to select my replacement. And my successor as Labour’s candidate will be chosen by local members over the next three weeks.

Teachers

I welcome the SNP/Liberal councillors u-turn on axing 700 hours of teaching time in local primaries. It was just 76 hours after the big EIS rally in the Town Hall that the Council backed down. Hundreds of parents and teachers attended the rally against the proposals. It was time to listen to parents. But while the u-turn is welcome it is not good enough to say that the decision has only been suspended. It should be withdrawn – and taken off the table entirely.

I would like to commend all those involved in making the Council reconsider this proposal. Proof positive that “parent power” works.

Tackling domestic abuse

I commend Iain Gray’s determination to make tackling domestic violence a major priority. The current Scottish Government’s decision to scrap custodial sentences of three months carries the risk that those guilty of domestic violence escape custodial sentences.

We should build on the success of the specialist domestic abuse courts, ensure the voice of those suffering domestic abuse is better heard in the justice system, act so victims are better protected when giving evidence, make it harder for abusers to reoffend and ensure victims are informed in advance of a convicted abuser being released from jail.

Renfrewshire Victim Support

In that vein, earlier this week I met with Renfrewshire Victim Support, which has helped secure a whopping £750,000 last year in compensation for Renfrewshire crime victims. They help local people “know their rights” and apply for criminal injuries compensation. So if you have been a victim of crime and are looking for support, get in touch with Victim Support on 0141 887 0328.

Paisley Photographic Club

Finally I would encourage anyone with a bit of free time to visit the Paisley Colour Photographic Club online where some beautiful photos in the Members Galleries can be found!

1. We met with Education Cabinet Secretary, Mike Russell last week to urge him again to intervene in Renfrewshire. The meeting was unsuccessful as he refused to intervene at this stage, indicating he will review matters in 2012 after HMIE makes ‘observations’ on the all-school pilots due to start in August.

What you can do:

2. Parents will lobby the council before its Full Council Meeting on Thursday 17th Feb to show their opposition to the policy.

3. Please join a rally in Paisley this Saturday 19th February to oppose these plans. The rally will gather outside the Town Hall at 10.45 am – please think of going along and supporting families like your own, who are concerned about the future of the standard of education to Renfrewshire children.
Quite rightly this issue has stirred many parents. Families who never before have found themselves so incensed they feel they must stand up to show their disagreement. Strength of community feeling, not simply politicians, will be vital in trying to convince local Councillors who have voted for this plan to think again. Additional enrichment to children’s teaching will always be welcomed and must be encouraged. But it is wrong to formally reduce the primary school children teaching week by 10% – amounting to 4 weeks over each year, and in turn to permit the axing of 60 more teachers. AND to try to pass this off as ‘enrichment’ rather than cost cutting by replacing qualified teachers by cheaper labour? This is in addition to 244 teachers axed already and 70 classroom assistant posts due to go this year.

4. Facebook – parents have set up a facebook group to join.

Want more info?

5. See the Parents Council forum’s own website for up to date news.

6. Take a look at Parent Council correspondence:

• A letter to First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP
• Their latest paper on action strategy
• A Parent Council press release 11th February

7. Watch First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood where Opposition Leader, Iain Gray MSP, tackled the Scottish Government for a second time over this Renfrewshire plan.

Reduction of teaching hours in Renfrewshire Primary schools by qualified teachers from 25 to 22.5 hours a week – 10%

Thank you to those who have taken the time to either sign the online petition or contact me individually regarding this issue.

Every day, as word spreads, the number of people registering their concern grows.

I wanted to take the opportunity to update you with the following important news:

1. Parent Council Website: The Renfrewshire Parent Council Forum (RPCF) has been set up by parents. It’s an excellent website. It’s for YOU to connect with other parents throughout Renfrewshire. It provides a superb information platform. Please take a minute to look!

2. March & Rally: The EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland), in conjunction with the Renfrewshire Parent Council Forum, is organising a March and Rally against the Council’s proposals. The date is 19th February, in Paisley. Details of the timings, assembly point, route and venue are soon to be announced. Keep an eye out on the RPCF website and the local press. I will also try to let you know when I hear. This rally will be for all concerned parents and families – not just teachers. So please put that date in your diary.
Today the BBC has posted a news item telling us that teachers in Renfrewshire are to be balloted by the EIS on possible strike action. I do hope Renfrewshire Council will rethink their plans before weary teachers are forced to consider steps like that.

3. MSPs to meet Scottish Government Education Secretary, Mike Russell:  After urging the Minister in the Holyrood Chamber to intervene in Renfrewshire, I and fellow Renfrewshire constituency MSPs, Hugh Henry & Trish Godman wrote to request a joint meeting. This has been granted and arranged for next week.

Please take time to look at the following document that provides a greater depth of understanding:

‘Renfrewshire Council: Revised Model for the Delivery of Primary Education’

A local Parent Council Chair, Stephen Wright, has prepared some breifing papers, see below if you wish to read them:

‘Save our teachers! Why Renfrewshire Council’s proposals don’t support Cirriculum for excellence’

‘Save our teachers! Using the long-term unemployed as labour is not the way to deliver quality education’

‘Save our Teachers! Time for Action’

Read a brief overview as described by the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre.

Over a hundred jobs are now at risk of redundancy from the beginning of March as a result of the airline’s decision. Glasgow Airport is Renfrewshire’s largest employer.

Wendy Alexander MSP said:

“Renfrewshire cannot afford to lose these high-quality jobs and Michael Moore should have pressed Bmi to retain this vital service.

“A withdrawal of the main Glasgow-Heathrow route will have a considerable negative impact not only on the airport but also on the wider Scottish economy.

“Scots commuters rely on this service. Michael Moore should also be putting pressure at EU level to consider how we can retain services and competitive pricing on our key air transport links.”

I believe what Renfrewshire is planning to do will harm kids’ education. No other authority is yet planning to do the same. So I hope the Leading Administration councillors will reconsider this retrograde step when it comes to the full Renfrewshire Council meeting on 17 February.

Along with fellow Renfrewshire constituency MSPs Hugh Henry and Trish Godman, I have written to the General Teachers Council Scotland, the EIS teachers’ union, and the Scottish Government to find out what they are able to do. There are concerns regarding the legality of Renfrewshire Council’s plan.

Parents are now getting organised. There is still time for the Council to think again. The Council wants to employ 120 specialist staff on a 16-hour-per-week, term-time only contact to deliver 2.5 hours of non-academic activities.

Of course PE, sport and cultural specialists have often been employed in schools but, the General Teaching Council for Scotland points out, the key difference with Renfrewshire Council’s plans is that they have in the past worked under the supervision of qualified teachers.

Already fewer than one in six newly qualified teachers has found a permanent job in the current school year. For these highly-qualified individuals, encouraged to believe that teaching held a bright future, the prospect of unqualified staff temporarily taken off the dole queue, taking their places in front of a class adds insult to injury.

More serious still is the potential impact on the education of young children. Holding the attention of a class and teaching simultaneously requires specialist abilities. Trained teachers help maintain discipline. The employment patterns of part-time sessional staff are notoriously transitory. High staff turnover figures are very likely and this will, in turn, reduce continuity and make meaningful planning more difficult. In the past, where any community/sports workers or other non-teachers are invited into the school to work with children, the teacher has always been present in order to support learning, support positive behaviour and to make links to the learning in other areas of the curriculum; hence increasingly the relevance of the activity. This will no longer be the case under the Council’s proposal.

Two-and-a-half hours represents 10% of the school week. Renfrewshire Council plans to ensure these sessional workers are equipped with the necessary understanding in a matter of only weeks? Individual class teachers do not appear to be involved in the planning of this proposed part of the school week. If what is to be delivered is to be regarded as extra-curricular, then school staff will have to teach the 100% of the curriculum, but now in 90% of the time.

The Report to the Education Policy Board makes reference to consultation with staff, pupils and teaching union representatives, but no mention of direct consultation with parents. What are the councillors who support this plan afraid of?

Wendy Alexander MSP said:

“Ministers promised local MSPs a meeting but they seem to be stalling. We are pressing for the meeting before the council takes a final decision on 17th February.

“It is not good enough for education ministers to say “nothing to do with us” when children are to be handed over to unqualified sessional workers drawn from the dole queues and put back on the scrap heap in holidays.

“These plans will have a very serious impact on our children’s education. Trained teachers are essential in sustaining a supportive and structured learning environment.

“Renfrewshire Council has already axed 250 teachers and this latest cut to education would see it rise to over 300 teachers since the current administration took control in Cotton Street.

“It’s my hope that the opposition to these plans shown by parents, teachers and other concerned members of the public will cause the Council to reconsider this retrograde measure.”

Wendy Alexander MSP said:

“Please make a special effort to give blood. The NHS predicts that it will need just over 190,000 donors to secure enough blood for patients in the future and it is particularly important to maintain supplies during the colder months.

“Scotland has a record of generosity we should feel proud of and giving blood is a gift that could save a life.

“I want to encourage every Buddie who has not already done so to register to give blood. To help achieve this I believe that employees should have the right to paid time off work to donate blood.”

The next donor sessions in Paisley will be held at the Town Hall in Abbey Close on Tuesday 1st February between 2pm – 3:45pm and 5:15pm – 8pm and on Wednesday 2nd February between 9:30am – 11:30am and 1pm – 3:30pm. More information on donating can be found at www.scotblood.co.uk or by calling 0845 3017 270.