EDUCATION FOR ALL - We will not be divided

All educators who will not be divided by racism

Join the over 75 educators and educational organisations in signing the open letter below to show that we will not be divided.

✊️ Join us on Monday 8th December for an online public meeting - 'Educators for All - We will not be divided' - register for free on eventbrite here.

Organisations

Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
NASUWT Scotland
National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA) Scotland

University and College Union (UCU) Scotland

STUC Black Workers Committee

STUC Women's Committee

Educators for Peace

Individuals

Abigail Chidavayenzi
Afifa Khanam, NASUWT Scotland, STUC Black Workers Committee
Aimee S, ESOL practitioner
Aisling Gallagher, Teacher
Al Cathcart. Retired Lect. ESOL qualified.
Andrew Fullwood, EIS National Executive and EAL/ESOL Teacher (personal capacity)
Angela McCormack – Lecturer
Anindya Raychaudhuri, University of St Andrews and UCU Scotland Equalities Officer.
Caitlin Coyle
Carol Wood, NASUWT Scotland & STUC Disabled Workers Committee
Clare Harker, Head Teacher
Damien Donnelly, Teacher
David Arthur
Douglas Clark, Teacher
Dr April Shaw, UWS
Dr Carlo Morelli Dundee University
Dr Cecile Menard, UCU Edinburgh and UCU Scotland VP
Dr Christian Ilbury, senior lecturer in sociolinguistics, university of Edinburgh
Dr Conor Wilson, UWS
Dr Daniel Cutts, University of Aberdeen
Dr Elizabeth Elliott, University of Aberdeen
Dr Elizabeth Elliott, University of Aberdeen
Dr Gareth Rice, UWS
Dr Ian Swift, University of Dundee
Dr Lena Wanggren, university of Edinburgh
Dr Louis Strange, university of Glasgow, Dr Piotr Wegorowski, university of Glasgow,
Dr Paula Barrowcliffe, UWS
Dr Rebecca Gordon, UWS
Dr Talat Ahmed, University of Edinburgh.
Dr Taylor Hill, University of Dundee
Dr Thia-Sagherian-Dickey - UOD
Eileen Imlah chair of EIS FELA Equalities Committee and Branch Sec new college Lanarkshire
Elizabeth Dudley, Community InfoSource board member
Emma Cresswell, NATECLA Scotland Committee Member
Emma Williamson, NATECLA Scotland committee member
Fiona Kelbie, School and Family Development Worker
Gemma Clark, Teacher
Gerry Mooney, Emeritus Professor of Scottish Society & Social Welfare, The Open University in Scotland
Grant Buttars, University of Edinburgh & UCU NEC
Jaana Cranston, Teacher
Jesús Lorente González, music teacher
Jock Morris, Chair, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
John Kelly, Retired EIS member
Karen Cooper, Principal Teacher EAL
Kasia Lewieniec, NATECLA Scotland Committee Member
Katy Highet, Stand up to Racism Scotland Steering Committee & Women Against the Far Right, UCU UWS Vice-President
Kevin McIsaac Stevenson, Teacher
Kim Gillanders, NASUWT Scotland & STUC LGBT+ Committee
Linda Okhuoya-Ologe (she/her), Rainbow Turtle (education officer)
Lorna McKinnon, ASN Teacher
Lyn Krige, EAL & ESOL teacher
Mark Langdon EIS ULA
Mark Sheridan, NATECLA Scotland Committee
Mike Corbett, National Official, NASUWT Scotland
Mr Ross Gibson, University of Strathclyde
Naeema Hann, ESOL volunteer
Naheed Aftab Biology teacher
Nuzhat Uthmani – Educators for Peace
Omair Uthmani - Lecturer
Orsolya Dunn, NATECLA Scotland Committee Member
Paul Cochrane, Teacher
Paula Dixon (personal capacity)
Penny Gower - Edinburgh EIS Local Association
Pinar Aksu, researcher and human rights activist
Professor Lauren Hall-Lew University of Edinburgh
Rahat Sharif Maths/Guidance teacher
Robert Macmillan, Teacher
Rowayda Alashqar, Community InfoSource board member
Sarah Walker, NASUWT Scotland Officer
Shafkat Rafiq, Urdu teacher
Sheila Arthur, Community Infosource Board Member
Soraya Kasim, Teacher
Stuart Radose, CEO of Community InfoSource
Tara Lillis, Policy Official NASUWT Scotland & Chair STUC Women's Committee
Vida Asamoah
Zamard Zahid, Former ESOL teacher
Professor Colin Clark, UWS
Professor Henry Maitles, UWS

Petition by
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Stand up to Racism Scotland
Paisley, United Kingdom
Sponsored by
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Educators For All

To: All educators who will not be divided by racism
From: [Your Name]

We all want to feel safe in our communities, and to feel that we belong. We want to support our families, to connect with our neighbours and to engage meaningfully in our communities. We want to access education to feel inspired, to learn and to grow alongside friends, classmates and members of our communities.

Education is an important way in which we foster belonging, and it should be available to
everyone. But recently, extremist campaigners have insidiously spread false claims that incite
fear in our school communities. Now, they are fuelling divisions between us and even seeking to deny some of our families equal access to education and opportunities.

We reject the far right’s racist campaigns that have targeted schools across Scotland.

Education is for all members of our community. The truth is that support classes and events are routinely offered to parents of children in schools, but harassment and misinformation is only targeting schools which offer support to migrant parents.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes are a vital tool for helping migrants to build community, access support, and find employment and yet they have been targeted in
Renfrew, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

We also know that schools have been subjected to ongoing racist harassment; a primary school has had to cancel its Christmas show after receiving racist and abusive online messages. We don’t want any child or young person worrying about whether their family is welcome at school this Christmas.

The political climate in which these targeted attacks are being made are not isolated - we know far right figures have been emboldened by the scapegoating of migrants, by the likes of Nigel Farage and Reform UK. As a result, the far right has been involved in whipping up
misinformation about schools and attempting to create a climate of intimidation and fear for
migrant and refugee families in our school communities.

Education is for all. We stand in solidarity with all learners, educators and staff in schools,
parents and local communities facing this harassment. We will not be divided.