Education Committee yesterday ...

Must briefly report on the Education Committee yesterday - wasn't present myself, but appears to have been a bit of a shambles!

Main debate centred around the hastily arranged money-saving (as that's what they are) changes to the way Secondary Schools in Edinburgh are to be run ... changes that were opposed by all the Opposition Groups on Budget Day back in February, but the local SNP/Lib-Dem Coalition decided to press ahead with them regardless --- and at a speed that most sane people believe is entirely counter-productive :-(

So, all the Opposition Groups (at the Education Committee) attempt to get the local Coalition to see some sense and pause for some thought on the changes --- see my colleagues Motion at 6.1(a) on the Agenda here ...

... needless to say, this was rashly opposed - but the Teacher and Religious Representatives on the Education Committee decided to back the combined Opposition Groups position.

Rather tragically, one religious rep. had to leave the meeting early and missed the vote; and rather pathetically, one teacher rep. was summarily excluded from the meeting for having a (supposed) pecuniary interest!

Result - tied vote and Convener uses her casting-vote to push the changes (in the report here) through to implementation ...

... another master-stroke of political management.

Stand aside and await the professional-backlash --- it is most certainly coming :-(