The leader of Dundee’s political opposition has hit out at SNP councillors who he believes tried to “belittle and undermine” a senior teacher before her job was scrapped.
Labour chief Kevin Keenan has attacked administration leader Ken Guild for “making sensitive and confidential data a matter of public knowledge” after he mentioned that the principal teacher appeared to be off on sick leave when he visited.
The Strathmartine councillor also slammed unnamed administration members who he claims said the principal teacher at the Menzieshill Young Mums’ Unit (YMU) “did not do as much work as other principal teachers in the city”.
Both Mr Keenan and fellow Labour councillor Richard McCready have since complained to the council’s legal chiefs regarding the revelations.
The senior role at the YMU was scrapped in controversial circumstances as part of the SNP-administrations budget cuts despite an amendment that could have seen the post saved, if councillors agreed to reduce their alcohol and hospitality budgets.
Mr Keenan said: “Dr Claire McGraw, who made an excellent and passionate plea for the retention of the principal teacher within the YMU, mentioned that she had spoken to a number of councillors who had all said that the principal teacher within the unit did not do as much work as other principal teachers in the city.
“I asked Dr McGraw to name and shame the individual councillors she had spoken to as it is completely unacceptable for any politician, no matter of what political persuasion, to be singling out an individual employee in the way she has reported.
“I firmly believe people enter politics in good faith, in the hope they can change things for the better.
“I do not believe there is a place for any politician that would single out an employee in such a manner.”
More than 1,000 people had signed a petition set up by Dr McGraw, whose daughter uses the YMU, urging the council not to cut the teacher’s post.
Mr Guild told the council’s budget meeting how he had visited the service at a time when he said the principal teacher was off on sick leave which Mr Keenan believes implied that the service could run as intended without her.
Mr Keenan said: “Mr Guild chose to go a step further by suggesting that when he visited the YMU the principal teacher had signed herself off sick for a month, implying that she is not really required.
“Making sensitive and confidential data a matter of public knowledge is just wrong. The individual teacher should be talking to her trade union or legal representative on how to take the matter forward.”