Scottish Greens challenge Labour by election candidate on LGBTQ+ inclusive education
South Lanarkshire’s Labour-run council is letting down young LGBTQ+ people, says Cameron Eadie, the Scottish Green candidate in the upcoming Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.
In a letter to the Scottish Labour candidate, Michael Shanks, Mr Eadie has condemned the decision of South Lanarkshire Council to reject the inclusion of LGBTQ+ inclusive education into schools, instead delaying it by sending it to an education committee.
Mr Eadie described the decision as ‘deeply troubling’ and called for the Labour candidate to join him in opposing it.
Mr Eadie said:
“This was a very disappointing decision and I know that for many it will be seen as a cop-out. For some LGBTQ+ young people, having an education that includes and validates their experiences can be transformative.
“Over recent years we have seen a shocking increase in hate crimes against LGBTQ+ communities, and far too many young people are suffering. A lot of the hostility has been fuelled by the kind of vile lies and scaremongering that truly inclusive education would educate against.
“I want every young person in Rutherglen and Hamilton West to feel safe being who they are, and schools have a crucial role to play in that. I hope that Michael Shanks will join me in calling for his Labour colleagues to reconsider their indecision and delay and to deliver a fully inclusive education.”
END
Text of the letter from Cameron Eadie to Michael Shanks
Dear Michael,
Following the latest full council meeting (23rd August 2023), I was saddened to learn that the Labour Group in South Lanarkshire has chosen to defer plans to introduce LGBTQ+ inclusive education into schools.
For many, this decision will be deeply troubling, as plans to implement inclusive education will now be delayed pending review by the education committee.
I cannot stress the urgency of the need for inclusive education enough; for some Queer young people, having education that includes and validates their experiences is a matter of life and death. In recent years we have seen a shocking increase in hate crimes against LGBTQ+ communities, and far too many young people are suffering.
Much of the hostility has been fuelled by the kind of lies and scaremongering inclusive teaching would educate against. I want every young person in Rutherglen and Hamilton West to feel safe being who they are, and schools have a crucial role to play in that. In LGBT Youth Scotland’s latest report “Life in Scotland 2023”, only 48% of LGBTQ+ young people said they felt supported in the education system.
Therefore, I simply cannot understand why your colleagues decided that the enhanced rollout of inclusive education should be deferred. This is particularly baffling given that your colleagues in Glasgow were content to support a similar proposal there only two months ago?
With that in mind, I would urge you in the strongest possible terms to personally intervene and persuade your Labour colleagues to reconsider their position.
Scottish Greens were the first political party to back marriage equality. We pioneered legislation to tackle transphobic and homophobic hate crime. We are unapologetic in our defence of LGBTQ+ young people and will never treat their human rights as being optional.
I am proud of the Scottish Green’s record in government, where we have been vocal in our opposition to the cruel Tory government’s democracy-denying decision to issue a ‘Section 35 Order’ blocking the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) bill from receiving royal assent. If elected, I will continue to fight whatever UK Government - Tory or Labour - that seeks to deny the democratic decision the Scottish Parliament took to support the GRR bill, which garnered support from members of all parties in Holyrood.
By deferring on inclusive education, your colleagues are contributing to a growing narrative that Labour under Sir Keir Starmer is rolling back on prior policy commitments, and throwing LGBTQ+ people under the bus. Is that really the ticket on which you hope to be elected?
As a fellow candidate in the running for this by-election, I would urge you to challenge your South Lanarkshire colleagues to do the right thing and revise their position at the earliest opportunity. I look forward to your response.
Regards
Cameron Eadie
