[News] School strikes

[Greenbag50]

I love the debate this has generated. Exactly why I started the thread.
Shows it is extremely difficult (and I’d argue) almost impossible, to balance the needs/responsibilities of the state, taxation levels, educating our future workforce etc who gets what slice of the pie whilst keeping economy productive and competitive for the future.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

“The money is there” ..I think there’s a discussion point in itself….and as stated earlier definition of what is considered “fair”
…still if I suggests this I’m a f ing moron.

I’ll leave you all to it

The money is there, somewhere. I tell you where its not, my pension, which was about 300 quid last time I looked ffs

 

[spongy]

It's pissed me right off.

I have to go to work otherwise I lose my flat that I've worked really f***ing hard for.

I haven't had a pay rise in 8 years either.

My workload is ever increasing and becoming more stressful.

I'm feeling the pinch as much as anyone else.

Now I have to use 4 of my 20 days holiday a year (mandatory 3days at xmas so now I potentially only have 13 days I can take off this year)
to cover the fact as I can't afford nursery or extra childcare.

Mucking Fagic.

 

[The Clamp]

“The money is there” ..I think there’s a discussion point in itself….and as stated earlier definition of what is considered “fair”
…still if I suggests this I’m a f ing moron.

I’ll leave you all to it

No need to get heightened. You haven't said they don't deserve it. It's those that outright dismiss their right to strike that are morons.

 

[Mike Small]

It's pissed me right off.

I have to go to work otherwise I lose my flat that I've worked really f***ing hard for.

I haven't had a pay rise in 8 years either.

My workload is ever increasing and becoming more stressful.

I'm feeling the pinch as much as anyone else.

Now I have to use 4 of my 20 days holiday a year (mandatory 3days at xmas so now I potentially only have 13 days I can take off this year)
to cover the fact as I can't afford nursery or extra childcare.

Mucking Fagic.

Maybe spend some time with your children on these days?

Or maybe think about criticising the system, the corrupt elite and your bosses who keep you working like you say you are rather than hate teachers. The same teachers who are working 60 hour weeks.

Look up not down. Dare I say it, join a union.

 

[Mike Small]

Personally, I don't agree with teachers striking. The current crop of kids have already missed so much learning because of school Covid closures that it seems unfair to disadvantage them once more.

Teachers are striking for these disadvantaged children. School budgets have been decimated by government policy. These children are being failed by this government. It's probably in their interests to keep this sector as it is with 95% of their children going to private school. Keep the gap nice and wide.

 

[Mike Small]

I love the debate this has generated. Exactly why I started the thread.
Shows it is extremely difficult (and I’d argue) almost impossible, to balance the needs/responsibilities of the state, taxation levels, educating our future workforce etc who gets what slice of the pie whilst keeping economy productive and competitive for the future.

The elite, the Tories, the powerful slice's get bigger and bigger every single f***ing time. They're getting bigger as I type this. I'm sure you're not across the national finance situation. They frame it like this to convince people like you that they need to strike a balance. It allowed Osborn and co to run amok with austerity. As another poster said, they can find money if it's in their interests. Funding the public sector properly/well isn't in their interest.

Look up not down.

 

[Greenbag50]

The elite, the Tories, the powerful slice's get bigger and bigger every single f***ing time. They're getting bigger as I type this. I'm sure you're not across the national finance situation. They frame it like this to convince people like you that they need to strike a balance. It allowed Osborn and co to run amok with austerity. As another poster said, they can find money if it's in their interests. Funding the public sector properly/well isn't in their interest.

Look up not down.

All I know is and have experienced as I’ve grown older, If I can express my real truth (to coin a phrase). The more money I earn, the more my money is taken away from me in tax to fund our necessary public services, to which we all depend. I have an issue when that money is not spent wisely.

 

[Normal Rob]

It's pissed me right off.

I have to go to work otherwise I lose my flat that I've worked really f***ing hard for.

I haven't had a pay rise in 8 years either.

My workload is ever increasing and becoming more stressful.

I'm feeling the pinch as much as anyone else.

Now I have to use 4 of my 20 days holiday a year (mandatory 3days at xmas so now I potentially only have 13 days I can take off this year)
to cover the fact as I can't afford nursery or extra childcare.

Mucking Fagic.

You're angry. Fair enough. Life is clearly tough and the system has dealt you a shitty hand. But don't blame teachers. Teachers who desperately want give kids like yours a better chance. Teachers who are fighting for the future o the education system. If you've not read my earlier post, do. The pay rise given to them is set to come from schools existing budgets. Not one additional penny is being given by the government. This means the money comes from the services provided to your kids, and the situation in schools worsens further. Fight for Teachers, not against them.

 

[Normal Rob]

It's pissed me right off.

I have to go to work otherwise I lose my flat that I've worked really f***ing hard for.

I haven't had a pay rise in 8 years either.

My workload is ever increasing and becoming more stressful.

I'm feeling the pinch as much as anyone else.

Now I have to use 4 of my 20 days holiday a year (mandatory 3days at xmas so now I potentially only have 13 days I can take off this year)
to cover the fact as I can't afford nursery or extra childcare.

Mucking Fagic.

Duplicate post.

 

[Greenbag50]

Today there are figures showing there are more households who receive more net government spending than they put into the chicken on the kitchen table (bonus point on the chicken reference)
That is not sustainable

 

[cloud]

Are you on drugs?

Can I have some?

Not on drugs. Grammar schools receive the lowest funding in the country and parents are reluctantly left to make up the difference. Begging letters at least once a week, and intimidation by teachers and staff. Children humiliated for taking time off with broken leg as it affects the school's targets.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I clearly caused a bit of a stir with my original post on this thread, so I may as well go in for round 2. I was listening to a debate on the radio about this topic this morning and one of the callers was a teacher from Scotland, who was speaking from the picket line. One of her main gripes was that teachers do a lot of 'unseen' hours, i.e. they come in before school starts to prep, stay later than the official school day and often end up bringing work home with them too. All of those points are absolutely fair in my book - no disputing AT ALL that teachers go above and beyond.

However, and here's the bit I'll probably get flamed for, there are COUNTLESS other jobs where the same is true, i.e. people work well beyond their contracted hours, often bringing work home with them, checking emails in the evening etc. I know it shouldn't be a race to the bottom, but there are a lot of teachers who I've seen/heard being interviewed who give the opinion that their profession is the only one with these added pressures and burdens. That point alone doesn't do wonders for the PR of what they're doing - in my view, anyway.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Not on drugs. Grammar schools receive the lowest funding in the country and parents are reluctantly left to make up the difference. Begging letters at least once a week, and intimidation by teachers and staff. Children humiliated for taking time off with broken leg as it affects the school's targets.

Really? That's terrible. And some of it sounds illegal. Equality laws mean that some of the issues in your list are illegal and should be fought.

 

[Normal Rob]

I clearly caused a bit of a stir with my original post on this thread, so I may as well go in for round 2. I was listening to a debate on the radio about this topic this morning and one of the callers was a teacher from Scotland, who was speaking from the picket line. One of her main gripes was that teachers do a lot of 'unseen' hours, i.e. they come in before school starts to prep, stay later than the official school day and often end up bringing work home with them too. All of those points are absolutely fair in my book - no disputing AT ALL that teachers go above and beyond.

However, and here's the bit I'll probably get flamed for, there are COUNTLESS other jobs where the same is true, i.e. people work well beyond their contracted hours, often bringing work home with them, checking emails in the evening etc. I know it shouldn't be a race to the bottom, but there are a lot of teachers who I've seen/heard being interviewed who give the opinion that their profession is the only one with these added pressures and burdens. That point alone doesn't do wonders for the PR of what they're doing - in my view, anyway.

The point is that teachers are vital for the education system that serves our children and readys them for the life ahead. The poor pay and horrific conditions mean that there is not enough of them, and numbers are falling.

 

[cloud]

Really? That's terrible. And some of it sounds illegal. Equality laws mean that some of the issues in your list are illegal and should be fought.

I just took my son out of the school and home-schooled instead of trying to fight it. They were hiding reports of bullying so it looked like there wasn't a problem. Bunch of crooks.

 

[Berty23]

Not on drugs. Grammar schools receive the lowest funding in the country and parents are reluctantly left to make up the difference. Begging letters at least once a week, and intimidation by teachers and staff. Children humiliated for taking time off with broken leg as it affects the school's targets.

Grammar schools don’t receive lowest funding because they are grammar schools do they. If they receive lower funding it is because they have a cohort that does not attract additional funding. For example, they will get very little in the way of pupil premium funding and SEN money which is assigned on need. They are also not likely to get the other additions included in the funding formula. The status of the school as selective is otherwise irrelevant. They have the ability to tweak their admissions so that they take a certain proportion from deprived backgrounds but for some reason they don’t, I wonder why?!

 

[Berty23]

I clearly caused a bit of a stir with my original post on this thread, so I may as well go in for round 2. I was listening to a debate on the radio about this topic this morning and one of the callers was a teacher from Scotland, who was speaking from the picket line. One of her main gripes was that teachers do a lot of 'unseen' hours, i.e. they come in before school starts to prep, stay later than the official school day and often end up bringing work home with them too. All of those points are absolutely fair in my book - no disputing AT ALL that teachers go above and beyond.

However, and here's the bit I'll probably get flamed for, there are COUNTLESS other jobs where the same is true, i.e. people work well beyond their contracted hours, often bringing work home with them, checking emails in the evening etc. I know it shouldn't be a race to the bottom, but there are a lot of teachers who I've seen/heard being interviewed who give the opinion that their profession is the only one with these added pressures and burdens. That point alone doesn't do wonders for the PR of what they're doing - in my view, anyway.

Where has a single teacher claimed they are the only occupation who do that.

My wife went to a meeting about strikes last night and came back in tears not sure what to do. The point that hurts her most is any pay rise is from existing budget. So they might get paid more but something else goes. E.g. Specialist support for specific children. A teaching assistant, counselling etc etc.

Teachers are trained to teach. Becoming a social workers takes years of training and yet here we are with teachers being expected to do the job of social workers and teachers.

 

[beorhthelm]

The point is that teachers are vital for the education system that serves our children and readys them for the life ahead. The poor pay and horrific conditions mean that there is not enough of them, and numbers are falling.

the honest question i have is, why do have they not gone on strike over the conditions to resolve them? years and years of inaction then there is a strike over insufficient pay rise (and conditions tagged on). what do the unions do the rest of the time to address those issues?

 

[Brian Fantana]

Where has a single teacher claimed they are the only occupation who do that.

My wife went to a meeting about strikes last night and came back in tears not sure what to do. The point that hurts her most is any pay rise is from existing budget. So they might get paid more but something else goes. E.g. Specialist support for specific children. A teaching assistant, counselling etc etc.

Teachers are trained to teach. Becoming a social workers takes years of training and yet here we are with teachers being expected to do the job of social workers and teachers.

On your first sentence, I heard a teacher say that very thing on LBC last week. In my own family too - my sister in law is a primary school teacher, and she made that argument over Christmas.

I'm not saying it is a widespread viewpoint, but I HAVE heard it a few times and it has grated with me.

I understand you're vested in this, and I'm genuinely not trying to wind anyone up. It's just a different viewpoint I'm putting across - hopefully civilly.