Motion 38
Education is a Community Worth Fighting for
“That this Congress notes the educational community forms the basis and skills for the future workforce, but crucially it supports young people in the present.
“Across Scotland, cuts are being made to education and communities that isolate and divide workers, accelerating the downgrading of provisions and resources for young people. Increased responsibilities around social care and counselling are brought into schools. Arts and leisure facilities which provide vital lifelines to young people outwith the school system are being withdrawn. School cleaning is being reduced to save councils money, in the shadow of the pandemic which spelt out its vital importance. College funding and courses are being cut, reducing opportunities for working-class students and costing jobs.
“Cuts weaken our communities and build obstacles, rather than bridge the attainment gap for young people. Schools and colleges are increasingly attempting to plug holes made by cuts to workers - everyone suffers as a result. Potential for a broad workforce around education is being limited, and cuts are particularly felt in working class areas. This compounds problems, as many workers are parents, and the problems of inequality worsen. The focussing of child services through schools deprives the broader community of work opportunities, puts excess pressure on education, limits childhood experiences and reduces available supports for school refusers.
“Congress calls on the STUC to:
- prepare for further collective campaigning around the impact of previous and future local authority cuts to community services on young people, their education and the schools’ workforce;
- organise a campaign around rebuilding the broader school and college communities;
- support unions associated with education and the community in collective campaign building and political education; and
- continue to resist further cuts, and fight to rebuild, enhance and protect education across Scotland and the wide range of workers intrinsic to its success.”
Mover: North Lanarkshire Trades Union Council
RSS