The restructuring of promoted posts in secondary schools has seen head teachers, the leading subject specialists, replaced by head teachers. It is clear that this restructuring was aimed at financial savings; it was certainly not the consequence of an analysis of the relative educational merits of the respective positions. We now have faculty leaders responsible for a group of thematic departments – for the members of these departments, the quality of their teaching, the curriculum, staff development needs, discipline, student well-being, parental relationships, assessment, resources needed, and external SQA review requirements. Faculty heads, for their part, can only be qualified to teach one of the subjects for which they are responsible. This resulted in a loss of crucial subject matter expertise and experience. Furthermore, head teachers, as key middle managers, played an absolutely vital role in the smooth running of the school. I know from experience the value of their advice, support and guidance. I am convinced that the loss of these posts cannot improve academic performance or discipline in Scottish secondary schools. In addition, the marked reduction in promoted positions seriously restricts career development and must act as a brake on recruitment.
Finally, I would reintroduce the LEA thematic advisors. I was fortunate, during my first years of teaching, to benefit from the support of a team of specialist subject advisors. These were experienced teachers, either in permanent positions or on secondment. They offered advice, encouragement, support and took real care of the teachers of their particular subject(s). They were also well placed to give sound advice to the Directorate of Education and the Education Committee. I believe that at such a difficult time, counselors could play a crucial supporting role for both schools and LEAs.
Eric Melvin, Edinburgh.
Read more: When will people realize the SNP’s speeches make no sense?
The golden generation
I have just learned that Alistair Darling has died. He is rightly credited with leading the UK out of the 2008 financial crash and leading the cross-party Better Together campaign, but he was also part of a golden generation of Scottish politicians including John Smith, George Robertson, Michael Forsyth, Malcolm Rifkind, Robin Cook, David Steel and Gordon Brown, real heavyweights who held the UK’s top jobs policy.
Perhaps if they had all been in favor of independence, the situation would have been different.
As the song says “when will we see their likes again”?
Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven.
Remembering the negligence of work
THANK YOU for the photo “Remember When” of Margo MacDonald and famous folk singer Alastair MacDonald, taken in February 1974. General election campaign (The Herald, November 30). I don’t remember seeing this photo before. Margo had only been MP for Govan since last November, but she had already made a positive difference to her constituents. In the general election its seat suffered from boundary changes and, although the SNP won seven seats across Scotland, Margo unfortunately narrowly lost to Govan, and Govan lost a champion.
I campaigned in Govan both in the by-election and during the general election campaign. The housing conditions were among the worst I have seen in Glasgow; stinking, damp, crumbling buildings, many without bathtubs or indoor toilets, and children suffering from dry coughs. The Labor Party was in power for years in George Square and Westminster, and I will never forgive them for their inaction and neglect which condemned people to live in appalling housing conditions in Govan, Gorbals, Shettleston, Calton and in several other areas of Glasgow. In her short time as MP for Govan, Margo dealt with around 900 housing complaints, and not a single Labor councilor was in sight.
Ruth Marr, Stirling.
Sturgeon the narcissist
WHEN reading Frances Scott’s letter (November 30), I wondered if there were two Nicola sturgeons. Because I certainly have never seen the model of virtue seen by Ms. Scott during the Covid lockdown.
I saw a narcissist, imitating the policies of the British government, stand at the lectern daily, immaculate in tailoring and hairstyle, lecturing and haranguing us because we were clearly not of the level of intellect required to understand by ourselves.
I saw an arrogant and angry politician treat the media with rudeness and contempt, daring, even daring, to ask her questions.
I saw a political opportunist turn Covid to her advantage. As the BBC’s Sarah Smith said, and was vilified to the point of resigning, Ms Sturgeon had “good covid”.
I could ask the real Nicola Sturgeon to please stand up, but I’m glad she continues to sink into obscurity.
His retirement is well deserved – by us.
Alasdair Sampson, Stewarton.
Return the marbles
AH, the Elgin Marbles, the ultimate version of the “Finders Keepers”, played by a decaying British government led by a philistine (“Greece disagrees over claims it broke Marbles assurances” , The Herald, November 29). They were deposed by the Earl of Elgin, ambassador to Turkey, over a 10-year period in the early 1800s. Cut to size for shipping purposes, their treatment by the British Museum included a damaging blanket of soot and of dirt caused by pollution in Victorian London, and a disastrous restoration in the 1930s when abrasive methods were used to “restore” the marble. its original white color, erasing the natural patina, as well as the details. More recent acts of vandalism at the museum have included ripping off a centaur’s leg, scratching graffiti off surfaces, and an unfortunate fallen skylight jarring a figure. No wonder Greece wants them back.
Since Greece gained its independence in 1835, it has advocated for the restitution of much of its cultural heritage. There is now a museum in Athens specially built to house the friezes. Elgin paid nothing for the marbles, although he bribed many Ottoman Empire officials in order to remove them. He sold his collection to the British government, but even they questioned whether it had been acquired legally.
Polls clearly show that the British public no longer cares where marbles are kept. Flights to Athens are plentiful and cheap, London is an expensive destination for many. The British Museum has so many treasures that it is unable to keep track of its wealth. It is time to lose our imperialist mentality and learn to play the game with our fellow Europeans.
Frances Scott, Edinburgh.
Read more: SNP has a record to be proud of. With Indy, it could be even better
Disregard for human rights
Media outlets around the world will no doubt mark Henry Kissinger’s death with a tone of solemn respect. It’s just a shame that Christopher Hitchens didn’t live to see it, because he continually reminded people of Kissinger’s responsibility for crimes against humanity in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and in Chile.
Indeed, in circumstances that appear ominously parallel to the current situation in Gaza, Kissinger ignored his deputy on the National Security Council, Viron Vaky, who argued that overthrowing the Chilean government of Salvador Allende would be “clearly a violation of our own principles.” He also apologized to Pinochet’s foreign minister for putting human rights on the agenda at a meeting, saying the State Department was filled with people with a vocation for ministry but “there weren’t enough churches for them, so they all joined the State Department.” .
This disregard for human rights and true diplomacy is all too evident in the way the West behaves today.
Independently Scotland we could revive the idea of an ethical foreign policy as the late, great Robin Cook tried to introduce in the early days of New Labour. Unfortunately, the spirit of Kissinger lives on in the behavior of Biden, Blinken and aspiring Blair.
Marjorie Ellis Thompson, Edinburgh.
