To be really worried about proposed teacher strikes.

[katedan]

In England not Scotland for context. My twin daughters are year 11 and I am terrified about the impact of teacher strikes on their GCSEs. They have not yet covered the curriculum and every day counts to get them exam ready so strike days will be disastrous for year 11 and 13 pupils ( and lots of other children especially those who are vulnerable) these kids have had their education impacted by covid and now strikes. This will make the divide between state and private schools even bigger. Do you think they will go ahead or if a safety net will be put around exam years if it does.

However, it's not the reality for a majority of teaching staff who work really hard but don't have your reality.

Well, given my kids go to a local primary school in a commuter belt town, and I’ve had phone calls from the HT at 8.00pm on a Sunday night about concerns I've had, I don’t think long hours and challenging situations are limited to city centre secondary schools.

So you're a social worker then?

I've worked in and around hundreds of schools.

No.

Then that conversation is nothing to do with you.

About backdated pay?

It's specifically about social workers. Your input isn't wanted.

Well, that's definitely true.

Based on because I've disagreed with you 🤦🏼‍♀️

I see. So you think you don't need to care.

It was about backdated pay, so yes I can contribute as it was a government pay award.

Not at all

It's specifically about social workers. Your input isn't wanted.

Ah but she has a friend whose a social worker, so she’s clearly an informed voice.

@Roseberry1 just because it’s become the norm doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. It impacts workers monthly income, mortgage applications, pension contributions, benefits calculations for employers to withhold an agreed pay rise for 9 months. I don’t know anyone in my profess whose happy about that - accepting of it maybe, but they’d rather have the money in their salary.

But you don't care anyway?

Based on because I've disagreed with you

No, based on you seeing no ones point of view but your own.

I know, I was one of them! I also had to wait 9 months because it was a government pay award! That's what I was saying as I was affected, too, waiting since April for them to all agree!

100%

I am not 'putting up and shutting up'. I just feel that striking as we are coming out of a pandemic, is morally wrong.

Agree completely.

And when would be a morally right time? For you.

Teachers have been fobbed off for years, and the government relies on their unpaid work/doing it for the children/payi g for equipment out of their own pockets, etc.

I think doing nothing about the state of education as it stands is morally wrong.

I also care about the students who will be coming through secondary school in 5 years time, not just the ones I have right now. I want them to have teachers too.

And as things stand they genuinely won't.

I honestly think secondary education is at a crisis point, and if not now, it will be beyond saving.

Its not. Expecting teachers to do what they do, under current conditions, with such low pay whilst giving our children the best possible education is morally wrong.

That's putting words in my mouth and making assumptions.