HUNDREDS of students and graduates of Glasgow School of Art have signalled their support for a tutor who claims he was sacked for speaking out about the twin fires that ravaged the Mackintosh building.

Gordon Gibb claims he was removed from his role as the architecture department’s director of professional studies for ‘bringing the institution into disrepute’ and ‘damaging its reputation’.

In 2018, the academic told a Holyrood committee investigating the fires at the art school that the Mackintosh building should be taken ‘out from under the mantle’ of the board and said more lessons should have been learned from the first first.

More than 200 students have added their names to an open letter demanding answers about his dismissal, which they said had left students in an "precarious position" and warned that some are considering alternative schools to complete their studies.

Read more: Glasgow School of Art staff sacked as bar goes into liquidation 

Students staged a silent protest as a meeting of the Board of Governors took place on Thursday, which was attended by Muriel Gray, who has returned to the institution after stepping down as chairwoman last year. Students have demanded a meeting with the board and senior managers.

In the letter, they write: "The student body do not feel that the full impact on the quality and experience of our education has been considered. 

"We seek proof that this action was justified at a critical time in the year.

"This situation marks an escalation in questionable actions by the institution's management. From centralisation of resources, the closure of the student union, continually increasing students into a system that is already struggling...year on year the quality of our learning experience is being hugely affected by management decisions.

"Given the impact of high-level managment decisions and associated uncertainty from the fall out of these, many are considering different schools for the remainder of their studies."

Read more: Art school bosses 'unfit custodians' of Mackintosh building says MSP 

Mr Gibb shared the open letter on social media and praised students for their actions, writing: "I could not be more proud of these brave and principled young people.

"I the staff concerns over mismanagement of the Glasgow School of Art are to be ignored, maybe the student voice, and their threats to leave the course, will be heard by someone, if not by Muriel Gray."

A spokeswoman for Glasgow School of Art said: "Some aspects of this letter relate to an ongoing employment issue and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment other than to say there will be no impact on student experience.”