The Fire Brigade Union have joined a chorus of criticism over the First Minister’s “bonkers” plans to limit the spread of Covid in schools by chopping the bottom off of classroom doors.
In an exchange with Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross at FMQ’s, Nicola Sturgeon claimed that the SNP Government’s outlandish plans were “common sense”, and repeatedly refused to say whether the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had ever been consulted on the issue.
But the Fire Brigade Union weighed in, demanding urgent talks with the SNP Government on the issue.
The Scotland secretary of the FBU, Ian Sim, said: “The doors affected could potentially include fire doors. We need clarity and certainty over these plans and the Scottish Government must now convene immediate multi-agency talks to establish the safest way forward.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue service have also voiced their concerns with the policy.
Nicola Sturgeon is seriously proposing the SNP chop off classroom doors to fix the ventilation problems in Scotland's schools.
You'd laugh if the issue wasn't so serious. pic.twitter.com/skQcPB70JP
— Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) February 3, 2022
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Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, said:
“The Scottish Government has had two years to make schools fit for use since the pandemic began, yet one of their ideas to protect kids and teachers from Covid is the bonkers idea to chop the bottom off doors.
“Nicola Sturgeon has to listen to experts and halt her frankly absurd plans to chop up classroom doors.
“The proposal is illogical and even potentially dangerous according to fire safety experts.”
The First Minister insisted the policy was a “common sense” measure – but a few days later the Scottish Government changed their tune.
SNP Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Sommerville tried to rewrite history, claiming that chopping fire doors had never really been a plan at all.
She even accused critics of “wilfully misunderstanding” the proposals.
The Scottish Conservatives have long supported the introduction of air filters in classrooms as a safe and sensible alternative to improve ventilation and tackle the spread of Covid.
Douglas Ross added:
“Bringing in air filters for classrooms is a much more sensible suggestion that every party supports – but the SNP need to get them distributed quickly.
“They have been far too slow to act on ventilation but we’ve seen throughout the pandemic that schools have fallen down the priority list for this government.
“The First Minister must guarantee that all of the serious ventilation measures – not chopping the ends off of classroom doors – will be in place by the time that schools go back after the February holiday.”
