The head of Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen has criticised Scotland’s teaching regulator for failing to strike off a teacher who made fun of Ruth Davidson’s “fatherless child.”
Robin Macpherson took to social media to hit out at the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
The regulator cleared Richard Lucas to go back to teaching despite a video he posted where he ranted about Ms Davidson having “fatherless children.”
He also said: “There is cause to be concerned about same-sex marriage.”
The GTCS found allegations that his comments were “offensive and discriminatory” not proven and allowed him to keep teaching.
Mr Macpherson called this decision an “abject failure.”
Not proven? If the point of the @gtcs is to maintain the integrity and standards of the teaching profession in Scotland, then this is an abject failure. Homophobia has no place in the classroom. https://t.co/Zs2UDlueOX
— Robin Macpherson FRSA (@robin_macp) February 13, 2021
Speaking to the Times, Mr Macpherson said that former Merchiston Castle teacher Mr Lucas was “unfit to be a teacher.”
He urged the GTCS to explain how a teacher who insists that “homosexuality is immoral” can command the trust and respect of LGBT pupils.
Mr Lucas is leader of the Scottish Family Party, which is a movement that regards same-sex marriage as “invalid”, gay sex “immoral”, gender reassignment “impossible” and abortion “morally unjustifiable”.
The Scottish Family Party accused Macpherson of “engaging in a spot of
virtue-signalling lynch mobbing” for speaking against the regulator’s ruling.
Mr Macpherson said: “They have posted allegations against me on Facebook
and Twitter that I have discriminated against all religious groups and that I
am somehow anti-religion.
“They also claim they are standing up for freedom of speech, even though they seem quite intolerant of others exercising their right to free speech.”
Mr Lucas no longer works at Merchiston Castle in Edinburgh, a £35,000 a year boarding school.
Jill Harris, the GTCS presenting officer, said Mr Lucas had “ridiculed and assaulted” Ms Davidson, but the panel that reviewed the complaint said allegations that his remarks were “offensive and discriminatory” were not proven.
The conservative MSP is bringing up her son Finn with her partner Jen Wilson.
Mr Lucas shared the video, entitled Ruth Davidson and the Fatherless Children, on his Youtube channel.
He told the Times Mr Macpherson was “blundering into the fray and shooting
from the hip with errors and misunderstandings” with his latest criticism.
He said: “I was not accused by GTCS of “homophobia” or of “assaulting”
Ruth Davidson.
“Nor did I say that ‘same-sex marriage should be discouraged’.
“So, what did I say? In absolute accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church, I stated my view that two women should not have a child by sperm donation, as children have the right to be brought up by their own married mother and father wherever
possible.”