A SCHOOL is under fire for getting its pipe band to perform for convicted felon and US president Donald Trump.
Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen is expected to pipe in the president as he arrives in Aberdeenshire later on Monday.
Parents at the school reacted with fury and claimed it was kept under wraps.
“The reputation of the school is on the line,” said a mother with a child at the private school. “It’s a symbolic endorsement of him.”
She added: “He said that they’re not going to promote it on their social media platforms like they normally would with the pipe band, well that kind of confirms that you know it’s an ill-advised gig.”
Another source, who wished to remain anonymous, told The National his three children had attended the school which charges annual fees of up to £18,322, and said: “It’s a school, let’s be under no doubt, with children from very wealthy people’s families who have an interest in promoting themselves in front of this man.”
He added that it was “to say the least embarrassing and to say the worst is insulting”, noting Trump’s friendship with the notorious paedophile Jeffery Epstein and his own criminal record.
The source, a doctor in Aberdeen, added that there was a “tradition of standing up to oppression” and said it was “a pity” that people were “welcoming this man”.
Another mum with a child at the school told The National that Trump was “dangerous”, adding: “I find it disturbing the thought of local school children playing for him when, on his orders, children in the US are taken from their schools by [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]; children in Gaza are starving, maimed, orphaned and killed; when the man in question is closely associated with the world’s best known paedophile and sex trafficker.”
A letter, shared with this paper, from the [[Aberdeen]] branch of Healthcare Workers for Peace was sent to headmaster Robin MacPherson.
It said: “Mr Trump is on record for supporting the ethnic cleansing of two million people in Gaza.
“Since October 8, more than 1500 [healthcare workers] have been killed by the [Israeli Defence Forces] and Gaza’s health care system has been decimated using weapons supplied by the USA.
“[[Gaza]]ns are now facing famine, and the United Nations and more than 100 humanitarian organisations have condemned the so-called [[Gaza]] Humanitarian Foundation, an American organisation which has killed more than 1000 of the starving civilians seeking aid.
“Mr. Trump supports and indeed endorses this organisation.
“We sincerely hope these are not the values your school aspires to promote, and urge you to reconsider how appropriate it is for the local children in your school’s pipe band be associated with these heinous crimes.”
A spokesperson for Robert Gordon’s College said: “Our pipe band is regularly invited to perform at a wide variety of regional events and is taking part in a number of these events this summer, often attended by dignitaries and political leaders.
"These opportunities are offered to pupils and parents on an opt‑in, non-political basis and provide valuable performance showcases for our musicians.”
