THE CHAIRMAN of the inquiry set up to investigate alleged violence at a Dundee school last night assured it would be entirely objective, after concerns about its impartiality were raised.

A retired teacher, who did not wish to be named, questioned whether the panel of three set up to look into allegations about Sidlaw View Primary School could be objective when chairman Sandy Watson is a former colleague of director of education Anne Wilson.

Mr Watson is secretary of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers Scotland.

He is also retired chief executive of Angus Council, before which he held the same post with Tayside Region, where he had also previously been director of education.

The inquiry panel also includes independent councillor Ian Borthwick and the Rev James L. Wilson, Dundee Presbytery Clerk and Church of Scotland representative on the city’s education committee.

The former teacher said, “I thought it was a bit strange that the inquiry is being referred to as ‘independent’.

“I do know it is common knowledge that, at one time, Anne Wilson and Sandy Watson were colleagues.

“The fact that the current director of education at one time worked for a member of this independent panel would be my main concern.”

Mr Watson took up the post of chief executive of Tayside Region in January 1995 and was succeeded as director of education by Jim Anderson.

Mr Anderson became director of education for Angus Council in May 1995 and the Tayside post was taken up by Anne Wilson.

Mr Watson also left Tayside Region in May 1995 to become chief executive of Angus Council.

The woman added, “I’m sure there must have been other people of a similar standing to Mr Watson that would have been able to decide whether this was a reasonable way to deal with a teacher speaking out.

“When I read the article in yesterday’s Courier, Mr Watson said that he had been ‘approached recently’ to take up the position, and I have to wonder who it was that approached him.

“I worked in Dundee many years ago and I retired from teaching only a couple of years ago.

“I know how education works and things would have to be bad before any teacher made a complaint, because most teachers are wound up in the system.

“My late husband used to work for Tayside Region as a teacher and he had dealings with both Anne Wilson and Sandy Watson.”

Speaking to The Courier last night, Mr Watson said, “I can give reassurance that the inquiry will be totally objective.

“It is true to say I worked as director of education in Tayside for a number of years but I also have 35 years of local government experience, 11 of them—most importantly—as chief executive of Angus Council.”

He said he could understand somebody raising the point he knows the current director of education.

But he believes his time at Angus Council—when he had directors of education reporting to him—stands him in good stead because he was used to investigating complaints.

“I was approached as a result of discussions by the chief executive of Dundee City Council, chief executive Alex Stephen and I have a baillie from the council in the group (Mr Borthwick) known for his objectivity.

“The panel met for the first time this morning and we are hoping we will be left to get on with our inquiries into this matter.

“We have been given eight weeks to produce our report, and despite the fact that the schools are off for two weeks from the end of September, we are hoping to have it completed by then.”