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The First Minister yesterday asked teachers to tell her how they feel about their job “whether that is good or bad”.

Nicola Sturgeon’s call followed damaging claims that teachers are being “strong-armed to keep their mouths shut”.

Tory leader Ruth Davidson seized on an open letter to Education Secretary John Swinney, printed in the Record yesterday, from a teacher who said the SNP Government don’t get “how bad things are”.

The teacher said she was writing anonymously for fear of disciplinary reprisals from her local authority.

At First Minister’s ­Questions, Davidson said: “We’re talking about a teacher who is an SNP voter.

“Yet she now fears she isn’t being listened to and has to speak out under the cloak of anonymity in order to avoid being stamped on.”

In her letter, the teacher also expressed exasperation that challenging pupils are now routinely being taught in normal classes without the resources needed to help them and enable the class to learn together.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

She added that it is “fairly common” for teachers to be assaulted “by children whose needs cannot be met due to the inadequate level of funding.”

Sturgeon insisted teachers and other public servants can raise concerns with her and her ministers and stressed that it is ­“unacceptable” for councils to use the threat of ­disciplinary procedures to prevent staff speaking out.

The First Minister said: “Teachers should be free to contact me as First Minister, the Deputy First Minister as Education Secretary, or any member of my Government.

“Let me issue this message to teachers or any public sector worker – tell the ­Government how you feel about your job and public services, whether that is good or bad.

“Let me be clear to teachers that they can come and raise anything they want with the Government.

“And let me be clear to every single local authority of every party administration across the country, that it is unacceptable to say to any teacher they will be ­disciplined for doing so.

“I’ve made that clear.”

'Absolutely no effect'

A retired teacher who wrote to Nicola Sturgeon about his concerns three years ago said it had “absolutely no effect”.

Retired maths teacher Donald Woodrow said he contacted the First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney outlining his concerns about falling education standards.

Donald, from Lanarkshire, said: “Almost three years ago I had occasion to write a very similar letter to Ms Sturgeon and Mr Swinney expressing my grave concerns about the state of our education system.

“This was after 35 years’ experience and a sudden desire to seek early retirement.

“Let me just say that other than a very standard acknowledgment letter from a very junior member of staff, my efforts had absolutely no effect.

“Unfortunately, contrary to the many pronouncements, this Government do not see the issue as a major priority.

“Unless the teaching profession as a whole, supported by the general public, make this an issue, then it will continue to be swept under the carpet.”

He told the Record that political point scoring has been a major obstacle in addressing structural problems.

And he called for parliament to listen to teachers, parents and local communities before “imposing changes”.

Donald’s career included time at St Patrick’s High School in Coatbridge, Holy Cross High in Hamilton and Calderhead High in Shotts. He was seconded to Jordanhill College in Glasgow, where teachers are trained, for four years.

Donald added: “Levels of discipline, general funding and all round job satisfaction have all seen a steady decline.”

He called for an overhaul but warned that international examples cannot be imported like a template.

Donald said poor pay is also pushing good teachers out of the door.

He added: “To attract the required individuals means making their training and future prospects financially attractive.”