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Margaret (author) said:
In the 1980′s when teachers went on strike they lost the respect of most parents and all children. As a parent representative since that time I have worked tirelessly to rebuild that respect this time there will be no way back. To show such an example in times of dire financial straights this country has been left in is very sad there must be a way through this , if pensions are effected can it be for only 2/5 years until the recovery kicks in and then they can be restored. Strike action is the worst possible example to set children we are talking about children loosing respect for schools and society should we be surprised. Union leader of best part of £200,000 a year have much to loose with the changes think about it teachers.
# 7 April 2012 at 10:18 am

Kim Willingham-Curtis said:
All I can say is Teachers – ” join the real world”,your situation on pensions and contributions etc, have been occurring across the work place throughout the country for many years and as a result hundreds of thousands of good honest working people have been in exactly the same situation as yourselves – DID WE STRIKE ? No we carried on,perhaps not having holidays with the family, or replacing our antiquated cars and we have survived. Today the country is in a financial mess and it is not the present government who has led us down this path, they are trying to lead us out, the far bigger picture is worth taking time out to understand and evaluate before you start to mess around with our childrens education. You are considering striking at a crucial part of the school year, where exams are taking place, children are preparing themselves for moving schools and also going up into another academic year. You should be there to support and guide them through this and then you can enjoy your 6/7 weeks summer holiday.
What examples are you setting at school to our children – “our future work force” by striking? How would you all feel, if the children in your classroom, went on strike for example having yet another ” supply teacher” covering your lessons? The children would be dealt with either by detention or putting on report, a letter home to us parents, Perhaps that is the way forward, for every day you strike, the children across the country can match it!!!!
And as for taking children out of school for early holidays, that is exactly what I shall be doing on your strike days + a few more days thrown in for good measure.
TEACHERS – step back, stop listening to your “fat pay Unions” and look at the real world outside your classroom windows – you are not alone however you will and shall have an impact on our children!!!
# 9 April 2012 at 3:08 am

Nigel May said:
As both a parent and a teacher who is a member of the NUT, I find the points made above understandable in some of the frustrations expressed but lacking in a real understanding of the issues facing education. There are also some significant misconceptions.
Since the 80′s strikes mentioned above there has actually been very little in the way of strikes until about two years ago, and since the current Gov’t came in. The current campaign is focused on pensions. As a School Representative for my Union, I can tell you that no-one undertakes this action lightly, or without a great deal of serious discussion, and in most cases teachers will do whatever it takes to catch up on work from any days missed through one-day strike action (nationally there have been 2 so far in the last year, 3 in London).
It is debatable just what the solution is to any financial crisis (and as to who caused it -many of those seem to still have their snouts firmly in the trough), but it is a question of how you choose to spend the money or raise money – billions on new nuclear missiles – no problem! – millions on various ordnance to chuck around Libya and elsewhere – again, no problem, tax breaks / reductions for the wealthiest and the biggest companies – there you go. The Conservative led gov’t decided some time ago that they were not going to lose too many votes by attacking teachers and other pubic sector workers. This resulted in the decision to attack pensions in which lies and misinformation have been a clear tactic. Teachers are of course well-educated and can spot when they are being ‘dumped on’. Unsustainable – no – the TPS was reviewed in 2006 and was OK then – the Government refuses to carry out another assessment. The TPS is a ‘notional’ scheme in which current contributions pay the pensions of those retired. What the Gov’t really wants to do is reduce the amount employers pay in as contributions. Teachers feel what we have is an effective ‘public sector tax’. Most can stick a two year pay-freeze – fine – but the prospect of steep increases ON TOP of this leading to a significant reduction in take-home pay is too much. We would also say that the fact that many people’s pension schemes elsewhere (many private schemes sunk by greed from corporate managers -eg Ford / Visteon) have been trashed is no argument for more of the same
With all of the other unpleasant stuff that is being thrown at us, we run the risk of a fissuring and dissolution of our education system. The concerns over which the NUT express their views are very much in line with the objective of providing better education for our pupils. Parents need to ask themselves the following questions:
1) Is it really sustainable for teachers to be teaching when they are anywhere between 66 and 70?
2) Is keeping pupils and teachers in School for longer days and terms really desirable? My daughter is absolutely worn-out on many occasions. Kids need a break, they need time to be children.
3) Regional pay will allow pay to be reduced in some areas – how will this attract teachers to work there?
4) Linking of performance management and capability being used in a more draconian fashion has already seen the following groups targeted disproportionately – black & asian teachers, older teachers, women teachers, and, in some cases union reps. Is this right?
5) Do we want a profession which is completely dominated by young single people with no other commitments? The way it is going, only this type of person will be able to survive. Going back a 100 years?
6) Is wiping out LEAs really a good idea? The Academies and Free Schools program encourages a selfish view – it cannot possibly be seen as an efficient way spending DfE funds. For example allowing free schools to open near other schools leading to successful schools having empty places. An Academy status is not a panacea – some do a good job, but there are some very ropey ones near me.
7) Is the long-term shift to allowing effective privatisation of state education desirable? The Gov’t may deny this now, but by incremental change we will end up there. Do I want a company owned by Rupert Murdoch running state schools? I don’t think so! Should those who avoid paying tax on their incomes by off-shoring it and /or hedge-fund managers be allowed to control schools? They may put some funds in, but if they’d paid the tax due in the first place it would have funded even more schools. Neither do I want fragmentation of society through free schools run by fundamentalist religious groups.
Finally, do not take you children out of school in term time. This IS very disruptive – more so than a couple of days’ strikes in fact because your child will miss work/ assessments that other pupils have completed.
# 21 April 2012 at 11:32 am

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