As you’ll know, a lot of you will be having a day off this Wednesday while your teachers are striking about their pensions.
We’re sure your teachers will have explained the case for striking, and why they disagree with the government’s planned changes, but what do you all think? Are teachers on strike putting their own interests ahead of yours’? Are strikes in schools massively disruptive to your education, and result in annoying catch-up lessons? And, maybe, do you think pension reforms are necessary and that like the rest of us, teachers have to sacrifice a little for the sake of the economy?
Or do you believe teachers deserve a day to take to the streets in defence of the way things are? (Though you might know teachers who are planning on using the day to catch up on marking and/or daytime television.) It might be that you feel really passionately against changes to pensions – after all, some of your favourite teachers might not have signed up as teachers if they knew they would be less generously rewarded when they retire.
Whatever you think, we want to get a bit of a debate going, so post your comments below.
Money, money, money!
Shouldn’t it be education, education, education?
I understand that pension is a big issue and it is important to plan ahead etc
However to go to the lengths of not working and not educating is a bit extreme.
Students with one of the most important exams coming up miss out. I mean do teachers
go into the profession to teach and open people’s minds and hearts or to supplement the income
There has to be a balance. I am a student for the record, and all exams for GCSE and A levels finished by the 30th June, and there is no more scheduled exams until January. Yes, teachers should go into the job because they are passionate – but passion doesn’t pay the bills! They need to be given a fair wage – they deserve it – they do an amazing job that this country could not live without. Your right, striking is extreme, but the Government won’t listen any other way, so what choice do they have?
I think that even though the pensions of pubic sector workers are shrinking , they should be justifily rewarded as without many of them our country would grind to a halt , however those in the privite sector rarely recvice a pension this generous , some dont even get a pension.
The Public sector strikes are wrong beucause the pubilc sector consumes wealth as it is payed through taxes , the privite sector creates wealth which is taxed to the exteme by the public
Nasuwt’s mandate for industrial action was based on a 40% turnout, while Unite’s turnout was a pathetic 31%. Therefore I don’t think it’s fair to say that teachers aren’t concerned with the academic success of their students. It is sometimes the case that teachers are pressured into striking by their unions or have no choice but to accept unpaid leave due to the fact that their schools are forced to close. I think this open up the issue of whether or not unions of this nature are legitimate in calling strikes of this nature when the mandate behind the strikes are so foggy.
Their job hasn’t changed – if anything, it’s gotten harder and more restricted in terms of impossibly high targets, and the amount of kids to teach. So, if their job hasn’t changed, why the hell should they be asked to work longer for less pension?
I can completely understand why people are striking – if i were them i know for a fact that i wouldn’t let my job security and pension be cut without a fight. They are well within their rights.
As a student, the pension debate means almost nothing to me because by the time i’m qualified and working there will be no pension. And yes, as a student the strike inconveniences me and my learning, but the Government won’t listen any other way.
The Government needs to realise that there is no way they can manage without the public sector workers. Yes cuts need to be made, but lets face it, they could just ask a footballer to loan them a couple of million pounds that they won’t miss. Problem solved. Why pick on people who work hard for a living trying to make ends meet to support their family?
Teachers need more respect – they do an amazing job.
I do accept the fact that teachers get a good pension in comparison to the majority of people working in this country. But i ask you, why the hell shouldn’t they?! This isn’t the first time their job security and pension has been threatened and it’s not fair on them at all. They are working their arses off to achieve the Governments petty targets, and they are making it near enough impossible for teachers to be passionate about their job – which is something which affects my learning.
They need to think practically, the majority of them will have families to support. They already work all hours God sends, but now your asking them to do it for less? You try convincing a teacher they earn enough money to not be bothered about a pension – good luck to you.
There are other ways in reducing the deficit, which, may i add, was not caused by teachers.
I think the goverment sould add more strikes and then that means that the teachers get more days off and we get a holiday. But i hate going to school. Because of 19x tables and more baloney.
I think it’s quite ridiculous that people keep blaming the recession on others. Really, the defecit was caused by pretty much all of us. We all were borrowing money that we knew we wouldn’t be able to pay back and therefore we should all be restricted of some of the luxury’s we have.
We just all need to be greatful for what we still have and stop being greedy and ask for more.
So many people don’t even have a pension and get rubbish pay. If a teacher is so disgusted by what they’re being payed, they should just quit, so that someone jobless and more greatful can replace them. Because I assure you, it won’t be that hard to find someone else who will do the job regardless of pay or pensions.