Parents of children at Kingspark School in Dundee have reacted furiously to education director Michael Wood’s claim that a poor Education Scotland report had not been “helped” by media attention at the time.
Mr Wood told councillors at a recent meeting of the scrutiny committee that it was “unfortunate” the troubled school was inspected while it was “in the eye of a media storm” over abuse allegations.
The Courier highlighted his statement to Education Scotland, which responded: “Media reports on the school will have had no bearing on the inspection outcome.”
The parents say their claims have not been properly investigated by the city council or the police over the past four years, although Police Scotland have recently begun an inquiry into Tayside Police’s initial investigation into the complaints.
In their statement, the parents reiterate their claims of cover-ups of abuse and mishandling by the city council.
A spokesman for the groups said: “We read with incredulity the statement from Michael Wood in The Courier in respect of the recent HMIE report at Kingspark School, in which the director of education suggested that the poor report was influenced by unfavourable media coverage at the time.
“Council officials are fully aware that the concerns of parents relating to allegations of abuse and neglect were not considered by HMIE during the inspection process, as it is not within HMIE’s remit to deal with such matters.
“Mr Wood is a man of great experience and should be fully aware that this is the case, so for him to blame the media coverage is wholly disingenuous.
“The fact that both the Marquis Report and the HMIE report have highlighted numerous serious failings within the school shows that the stewardship of Kingspark at both school and council level has failed miserably.”
Mr Wood was asked for his response, but stated simply: “No comment”.