I would never vote Tory. I support the teachers’ strike fully.
But I am still disappointed about how some unions and teachers acted during the pandemic. Esp when schools partially opened in June 2020. The squeals of indignation from the NEU and from some teachers was disgusting. The way they carried on was like they were been sent into a slaughter house. They spoke about kids disgracefully, ‘snotty germ-ridden bags of infection’ etc. They whined about no PPE.
Whilst many other people had worked throughout without it. Staff on buses and trains (often poor ethnic minorities at higher risk). I was a senior nhs clinician working on a ward throughout. Initially no PPE at all. And then we received the same paper masks everyone was buying on eBay. That was it. Nothing more. No FFP masks. I was scared at the start but never complained and said I shouldn’t work. My patients needed me. Like kids needed teachers. Face to face.
In June 2020, the internet was flooded with panicky teachers. I saw one memorable person say, ‘my mum is a teacher. She has emailed her head refusing to go in as she is overweight’ 🤯 And other such pathetic posts.
There were decent teachers though. Who wanted to teach. Who wanted all kids back. Who defected from the NEU as they were embarrassed by their stance. I am trying to remember the ‘good ones’. But the unions did behave appallingly and did the profession a disservice; there is no doubt. I had always respected the teaching profession pre-pandemic.
And I will always in the end defend teachers against creepy self-serving tories like Matt Hancock. Every time.