Inward Looking and Conservative
Scotland's teaching unions have been quick to pour cold water on a Labour election pledge - aimed at putting 1,000 new teachers into our schools to improve literacy and numeracy levels.
But instead of welcoming the proposal - and the prospect of 1,000 new members - the EIS and SSTA seem determined to find fault at every turn.
Labour's idea is that 1,000 out-of-work teachers would be recruited to provide additional and targeted support in English and Maths - presumably in poorer areas where schools have more than their fair share of disadvantged children.
The job of these new teachers would be to help the 13,000 Scottish children who leave primary school each year - unable to read properly.
Manna from heaven to the trade unions - you would think - and all in a good cause to boot.
But apparently not - because the unions are quoted as saying the scheme could be unworkable - because experienced teachers 'are unlikely to appreciate being usurped in their own field by new graduates'.
Well who said anything about usurping anyone - the whole idea is to give a hand up to the thousands of young Scots - who leave school every year unable to read properly.
Yet the knee-jerk reaction of the unions is all about the sensitivities of teachers - not the needs of children and young people.
There was a time when trade unions were bold and radical - all too often now they are simply inward looking and conservative.
But instead of welcoming the proposal - and the prospect of 1,000 new members - the EIS and SSTA seem determined to find fault at every turn.
Labour's idea is that 1,000 out-of-work teachers would be recruited to provide additional and targeted support in English and Maths - presumably in poorer areas where schools have more than their fair share of disadvantged children.
The job of these new teachers would be to help the 13,000 Scottish children who leave primary school each year - unable to read properly.
Manna from heaven to the trade unions - you would think - and all in a good cause to boot.
But apparently not - because the unions are quoted as saying the scheme could be unworkable - because experienced teachers 'are unlikely to appreciate being usurped in their own field by new graduates'.
Well who said anything about usurping anyone - the whole idea is to give a hand up to the thousands of young Scots - who leave school every year unable to read properly.
Yet the knee-jerk reaction of the unions is all about the sensitivities of teachers - not the needs of children and young people.
There was a time when trade unions were bold and radical - all too often now they are simply inward looking and conservative.
