Accusations of discrimination are a serious thing for any organisation to deal with.
When those allegations are made by a government minister, it ratchets up the tension and the potential damage to the reputations of all of those involved.
The complaint by health secretary Humza Yousaf that his daughter was denied a place at the Little Scholars nursery in Broughty Ferry, while children with “white Scottish-sounding names” were accepted, sparked ill feeling when it was made public in August.
The nursery contested the claims and continues to do so.
However, the complaint has been upheld by the Care Inspectorate, the body which exists to safeguard the wellbeing of children and adults in services across Scotland.
7 questions at heart of Humza Yousaf’s upheld complaint against Dundee nurseryhttps://t.co/V25eQ4gVlH
— Derek Healey (@C_DHealey) November 3, 2021
Its inspectors found Little Scholars did not “promote fairness, equality and respect” in offering placements.
The nursery has been given until December to act on the recommendations which arose from the Humza Yousaf inquiry.
This should be where a line is drawn under the matter, allowing those on either side to walk away with some dignity.
But the nursery’s response suggests it is not yet at that point.
In a robust statement issued yesterday, it accused the regulator of releasing an “extremely suspicious and highly misleading statement” containing “inaccurate and partisan spin”.
Continuing hostilities helps no one
The Little Scholars nursery is clearly popular with families who use it, and run by people who take great pride in the service they provide.
New: Levy & McRae, representing Little Scholars Nursery in Dundee, has written to the Care Inspectorate asking it to clarify a "defamatory" media statement https://t.co/pg4rLWj2ew
— Alasdair Clark (@alasdair_clark) November 3, 2021
But it has been found wanting in this respect by the official regulator and the right thing to do now is to accept the judgement, implement the required changes and move on.
To continue to do otherwise risks inflaming an already hostile situation and providing fuel for those who would wish to stir up racial division in our communities.
Accepting you’re in the wrong, making amends and not bearing grudges are all valuable lessons we learn as children.
They are every bit as important in adulthood.
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