Revealed: Claims Clydebank High teachers barred from speaking to the press in strike row

This morning, scores of West Dunbartonshire high school teachers descended on the authority's headquarters in Dumbarton to protest against staffing cuts.

As of Monday, Clydebank High teachers told the Post they had been banned from conveying their thoughts to the press — and are growing increasingly anxious parents and the public may not hear their side of the story.

They fear parents will point the finger at them and not West Dunbartonshire Council's education chiefs, who are battling the industrial action from the workforce on changes to staffing.

A dispute has been ongoing since September surrounding money-saving measures to staffing, that would see new faculty heads take over multiple departments, often with no experience in running the subjects they would be charged with. This has caused on-going resistance from teachers.

Teachers described Council Leader Martin Rooney and education director Laura Mason as "stumbling blocks" to successful negotiations.

A council spokeswoman said: “It’s really disappointing to see this unfair criticism directed at Laura Mason who has been a driving force in raising the attainment of our young people in West Dunbartonshire. In her role as Chief Education Officer, Laura has helped support the negotiations as we work to reach a resolution for the benefit of everyone affected by the dispute.

"The code of conduct for all council staff is clear in that employees must not correspond directly with the media in matters relating to the Council unless they are acting in their professional capacity or as an accredited Trade Union official communicating the views of their trade union.”

Teachers have spoken anonymously to the Post, and told how an email ordered them on Monday not to speak to the press. Previously, we have aired the views of individual teachers multiple times.

One said: "It's ridiculous how the Labour Party is prioritising education in its Scottish Parliament election campaign yet it is refusing to listen to teachers and hampering education in Clydebank and the rest of West Dunbartonshire. 

"We're all concerned our message isn't getting across to the teachers because the flow of information is controlled by the council. We've been barred from speaking to the press as of Monday, how are we meant to get our message across if we cannot go to the press?"

Another added: "It must be a sign that the council is terrified that it is losing and people are realising the public is siding with the teachers, which is naturally the right and sensible choice for them to be making. 

"As for what is happening to our young people - there's no chance we'll be getting the same results we had last year, record results, due to this dispute. Even more so, if these changes go through, we'll never achieve so high again. 

"The picket lines are getting bigger and bigger, there's no way teachers will back down. We have devoted our lives to helping young people, this is some pain for a long term gain."

EIS officer Michael Dolan

Michael Dolan, EIS officer, said: "The council have obviously got very sensitive about the whole issue and the negative publicity surrounding it. They say the publicity is unhelpful in terms of reaching a solution. Our take on that is that they just don't want the teachers' opinion out there."

Teachers told the Post how education workers across the country are now looking to what they are doing, and thinking "we should have done this". They believe they are setting a precedent against austerity-driven measures against education, and believe others will follow in mass action against changes in the future.

Councillor Martin Rooney, council leader, and Laura Mason, the council's education director, are described by the teachers as the main stumbling block in negotiations succeeding.

The Clydebank Post has directly asked both for a response to the criticism and is awaiting an answer.

When the Clydebank Post asked Michael Dolan, he said the union would not name individuals involved in such ways.

Teachers suggested there would be severe political damage to the Labour Party in West Dunbartonshire. This afternoon, the Clydebank Post has asked the local chief Cllr Martin Rooney for a comment.

An enquiry has been sent to West Dunbartonshire Council's communications department regarding the gagging of teachers at Clydebank High.

Teachers outside WDC HQ in Dumbarton on April 27

Earlier in the week, a WDC spokeswoman said: “We held further discussions with EIS on Monday night in an effort to achieve a resolution. Both sides have committed to meet this week as a matter of urgency.”

Originally, the changes were presented as a cost-cutting measure but since, the EIS's Mr Dolan says the Labour group has recognised it would damage education and reduced the "purse strings" a bit.

Management, he says, still seems determined to hang onto the restructuring model which secondary teachers "totally reject."

A last-minute attempt to resolve the teachers strike failed on Monday to stop a 48-hour walkout across the area – and the dispute could yet get worse.

The EIS union met Labour Party councillors and West Dunbartonshire Council management and a deal appeared close, only to fall at the last hurdle.

A 48-hour strike started yesterday, affecting secondary schools in the local authority in the latest attempt to force education bosses to stand down from their proposals.

Clydebank High and St Peter the Apostle High are both closed to S1-S3 pupils while a partial timetable is in place for senior pupils as well as study support in advance of exams starting next week.

Council bosses said they had already delayed implementation of their restructuring plan and urged the union to negotiate.

The Clydebank Post is awaiting responses to statements made by teachers and for more information on the barring of teachers speaking to the press.

More to follow.