DESPITE his continued attempt to persuade teachers, lecturers and other educators that he cares about education and that it is a priority for him, Ross Greer MSP has continued to show through his actions that he does not hold educators in high regard.
On Thursday 20 June, Ross Greer posted on his X account that he was disappointed he was unable to attend a General Election hustings arranged for Scotland’s educators by the Education Institute of Scotland, Scotland’s largest education trade union. The event was attended by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth representing the SNP, Pam Duncan-Glancy representing Scottish Labour, Willie Rennie representing the Scottish LibDems and Liam Kerr representing the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, all of whom hold the education portfolio for their party in Holyrood.
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Ross sent Nick Quail, the Scottish Green Party candidate for Glasgow West. Nick is an excellent speaker, with a clear passion for education, having spent his life working in education. However, it was clear from the start of the event that the optics of four elected MSPs and appointed party spokespersons on education pitted against a career educator, who doesn’t hold a spokesperson role, was going to be problematic for him.
The event was attended by teachers and other educators from schools, colleges and universities across Scotland, and they put a number of questions to each party representative. Each candidate took time and provided considered responses.
The next day, Ross Greer posted a series of photos on his X account, where he confirmed that he had spent the last day in Bristol Central campaigning for Green Party of England and Wales co-leader and General Election candidate Carla Denyer. Ross was unable to attend the education hustings as he was travelling to England to campaign for a completely separate party. A party which only a few years ago the Scottish Green Party voted clearly to reject, and de-affiliate with. Ross has completely disrespected the clear direction given to him, and other members of party leadership, on their work with the Green Party of England and Wales.
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Clearly Ross is not only disrespectful of his own party colleagues, processes or decisions, but he also holds no respect for our world-class educators.
Until May, I held a senior office-bearer position in the Scottish Green Party, where I was elected as both the party executive clerk and the co-convener of the Rainbow Greens, the SGP LGBT network.
I left the Scottish Green Party in May after the continued silence on the damage being done to the further education sector in Scotland. I watched as SGP MSPs voted in line with the SNP in approving tens of millions of pounds of funding cuts for Scotland’s colleges.
The absolute hypocrisy of Ross Greer is not lost on students. Ross has tried time and time again to tell them he is on their side, cares about them and will fight for them. Continually though, he has failed to show his support for students, he has voted for massive cuts to the further education budget and he and his colleagues are nowhere to be seen while our lecturers are forced to spend months on the picket line. These are not the actions of a supposed trade unionist. Ross Greer has become an apologist for the Scottish Government and their regress towards austerity.
Students do not trust Ross any more, and it is time that the Scottish Green Party urgently appoint a competent and experienced education spokesperson. Urgent change is needed in further education, and there is no longer any excuse for hypocrisy. If the SGP wishes to retain the votes of students in Scotland, they must act today.
Ryan Donachie
via email
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