Should teachers go on strike?

[tinfoilhat 11]

You spelled apostrophe incorrectly. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I wholeheartedly agree with the content of your post though.

 

Really? I thought it was chock full of stereotypes (hard working put upon teachers and the evil lazy parents). Look, if you want to strike, strike. I'm fine with it (no kids ) but its your right. But don't try and kid me into thinking its all for the sake of the children, its to guarantee teachers pension deal.

[woodmally 10]

I'm a teacher and I'm striking. I'm uneasy about doing so because I know that many people will see it as a negative thing. I also feel bad for the students that will miss lessons, and the effect on their families if they have to take time off work.

 

Taking all these things into account, I'm striking because I believe that the current government is not motivated by the best interests of all of our children ( I have two secondary school age kids who will be at home tomorrow)

 

Since I became a teacher about nine years ago, the quality of our kid's education had been steadily eroding - not due to the standards of teacher's, but due to waves of idiotic legislation. My feeling is that they want our kids fit only to fit their proscribed ecanomic pigeon-holes. The breadth and richnes of kids educational experience is being chipped away at by a bunch of number-crunching elitist privately educated bigots.

 

The scary thing about the responses in this forum is how many working people are quick to express negative views. We know our politicians are liars (20% of us trust them) yet we have been trained as a population not to act, to be politically passive.

 

I worked in various jobs before teaching and teaching is the toughest. I also care more (in a real day to day way) about most of the kid's learning than their parents can be bothered to. How many hours did you spend supporting your kid's homework last week? Someone else's job?

 

The holidays are great, pay is good, job is hard work. Why are we terrible for fighting for our working conditions? We have the advantage of being a big group who are articulate and informed. Our fight is against the idiots in charge and not the parents. They want you to dissaprove - so they can steal all of our wages and holidays. Our fight is your fight.

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 18:20 ----------

 

sorry, I spelled economic incorrectly. oops.

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 18:21 ----------

 

and I put an apostrophie in the wrong place.

 

So holidays are great and the pay is good so why are you striking then. Is it because of the hard work?

 

I am not one of these people that believe everything politicians tell us so I will quote from the National Union of Teachers instead and their reasons for striking.

 

 

http://www.teachers.org.uk/

 

•Pay– no to dismantling the national pay system

 

Well most places have differential pay. For example the cost of labour is higher in the south than it is in the north so whats the problem with this.

 

 

•Conditions– no to attacks on conditions – Michael Gove wants a longer school day and year

 

The only group that gets longer holidays than Teachers is MP's. I wish I had at least 6 weeks off a year in one block then all the half terms and term holidays you get on top.

 

•Pensions– no to working longer, paying more and getting less

 

So you have to work longer big deal so does everyone else. I will probably have to retire at 75 and I'm not complaining you just have to live with it.

 

The best one I've seen on the website is extending PRP. What is wrong with performance related pay? If you are good at your job you get a decent pay. If your not you dont. We want good teachers not rubbish ones.

[Clown Shoes 10]

They get enough time off work. They should protest during out of term.

 

But they wont cause it interrupts their lives & their holiday plans.

[avidcameron 10]

I'm a teacher and I'm striking. I'm uneasy about doing so because I know that many people will see it as a negative thing. I also feel bad for the students that will miss lessons, and the effect on their families if they have to take time off work.

 

Taking all these things into account, I'm striking because I believe that the current government is not motivated by the best interests of all of our children ( I have two secondary school age kids who will be at home tomorrow)

 

Since I became a teacher about nine years ago, the quality of our kid's education had been steadily eroding - not due to the standards of teacher's, but due to waves of idiotic legislation. My feeling is that they want our kids fit only to fit their proscribed ecanomic pigeon-holes. The breadth and richnes of kids educational experience is being chipped away at by a bunch of number-crunching elitist privately educated bigots.

 

The scary thing about the responses in this forum is how many working people are quick to express negative views. We know our politicians are liars (20% of us trust them) yet we have been trained as a population not to act, to be politically passive.

 

I worked in various jobs before teaching and teaching is the toughest. I also care more (in a real day to day way) about most of the kid's learning than their parents can be bothered to. How many hours did you spend supporting your kid's homework last week? Someone else's job?

 

The holidays are great, pay is good, job is hard work. Why are we terrible for fighting for our working conditions? We have the advantage of being a big group who are articulate and informed. Our fight is against the idiots in charge and not the parents. They want you to dissaprove - so they can steal all of our wages and holidays. Our fight is your fight.

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 18:20 ----------

 

sorry, I spelled economic incorrectly. oops.

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 18:21 ----------

 

and I put an apostrophie in the wrong place.

 

I disapprove of your poor spelling-did you get the requisite GCSE C in English Language?I like the comment about articulation.

[harri73 10]

Hi teachers,can you please explain why after just having 6 weeks holiday you feel its correct to disrupt every childs education by going on strike on tuesday the 1st of october,plus to add to the inconvienience on friday the 4th of october at my sons school they are having yet another teacher training day,is the 6 weeks holiday not enough of a bigger window for you,i agree the goverment is to blame regards pensions and for that i do support you,but enough is enough when normal working famillies have to take days of to look after children losing holiday entitlement which isnt x amount which teachers get or have to take a days cut in wages,times are hard,plus when we take our children out of school 1 day early at the start of the 6 weeks holiday we end up getting fined,so does this now mean we can fine the schools. As for teacher training day, for example kids that require extra tuition why not stay after school or saturday mornings? Also another point i dont see the police taking an inset day for training.

[avidcameron 10]

Hi teachers,can you please explain why after just having 6 weeks holiday you feel its correct to disrupt every childs education by going on strike on tuesday the 1st of october,plus to add to the inconvienience on friday the 4th of october at my sons school they are having yet another teacher training day,is the 6 weeks holiday not enough of a bigger window for you,i agree the goverment is to blame regards pensions and for that i do support you,but enough is enough when normal working famillies have to take days of to look after children losing holiday entitlement which isnt x amount which teachers get or have to take a days cut in wages,times are hard,plus when we take our children out of school 1 day early at the start of the 6 weeks holiday we end up getting fined,so does this now mean we can fine the schools. As for teacher training day, for example kids that require extra tuition why not stay after school or saturday mornings? Also another point i dont see the police taking an inset day for training.

 

 

May I refer you to the NUT website?

 

PS the schools are not run as a free child-minding service.Why should tax-payers fund free care so you can go out to work?

[Anna B 1,414]

Ignore the rants about 6 weekls holiday etc. but seriously, I would like to know what the strike is about.

Once again there seems to be scant real information in the media, which leads me to suppose you might have good cause.

[tinfoilhat 11]

The reason they strike in term time is for maximum disruption so the parents of Tarquin and Chardonnay lean on the government to do something. Doing it in the holidays is like terrorists blowing up an empty field.

[MrsMozzy 10]

Yawn. Here we go again ....

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1220543

[harri73 10]

May I refer you to the NUT website?

 

PS the schools are not run as a free child-minding service.Why should tax-payers fund free care so you can go out to work?

 

No it's an education service so therefore educate, any grievance regarding pay or pensions or hours or whatever do so in your own time

[Isabelle 10]

There would be no point in the teachers striking during the holidays.

Unfortunately the only way to get people to take notice is for teachers to strike during their working hours. This causes disruption to parents but it's the only way to get their point across.

Would you go on strike outside your normal working hours, or during your holidays?

[harri73 10]

Why ignore the rant about 6 weeks holidays, who else gets 6 weeks holidays paid, plus all the half term weeks,i dont and many others like me