Scotland’s biggest teaching union is to investigate and report back on the experiences of groups that are underrepresented in promoted roles.
The EIS will also launch a separate investigation into the impact of conversion practices on teachers and students.
Both investigations were backed during consideration of various equalities motions at the EIS annual general meeting in Aviemore, which took place over three days at the end of last week.
The council of the EIS has agreed to explore “the experiences of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME), women, disabled and/or LGBT members of access to progression and promotion opportunities”.
The union will “investigate and report on ways to encourage and support more ethnic and religious diversity into the Scottish teaching profession”. New guidance will be provided to EIS local association secretaries to help with the “negotiating for improvements to recruitment and retention practices as pertaining to BAME staff”.
Encouraging more diversity in teaching in Scotland
This was all part of a motion to the AGM from the EIS council and the union’s Renfrewshire association.
EIS council member Adela Mansur, speaking in support of the motion at the AGM, said: “It can’t be a postcode lottery to be promoted. Some local authorities have taken positive actions, but some local authorities are reluctant to take positive actions.”
In a Twitter thread in response to a separate equalities motion, Edinburgh teacher Jehan Al-Azzawi explained why positive action was necessary.
“Until we actually establish diverse workplaces at all levels, the doors won’t open for us...So that’s why positive action is necessary,” she said.
Another equalities motion led to overwhelming backing from EIS members for an investigation into “the impact of conversion practices on members who have experienced it directly or have supported students or colleagues who have experienced it”.
The motion, from the EIS’ Glasgow association, also called for the investigation’s findings to inform “campaigning in relation to conversion practices and the proposed banning of them in Scotland”.
It endorsed a definition of conversion practices as “any treatment, practice or effort that aims to change, suppress and/or eliminate a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression”.
The full text of all motions at the 2023 EIS AGM can be viewed here.
