Teachers set to stage series of strikes this summer

“@Big_Gregory

You may be right but you clearly haven't identified the reasons for this situation.

If teaching standards have declined then why might that be?

I think the obvious answer is that changes made to the education system and to the terms and conditions of teachers have resulted in high calibre individuals taking jobs in industry or private sector teaching instead.

If high calibre candidates were applying for places on teacher training courses and teaching jobs then they would get the jobs and the poor teachers wouldn't. Clearly the higher calibre types aren't applying.

I don't believe the story that in the past people did it "for the kids".

Sorry but that is nonsense. Some no doubt did and still do care about the kids but it ain't their number one priority. In the real world outside of web forums that goes straight out of the window when you have mortgage to pay. Really good teachers are not becoming teachers because they can get more elsewhere.

If you want good teachers you need to tempt them away from the private sector and industry.

What do you think will happen if you further erode the terms and conditions? Think about....”

“Lazy swines.”

“Begin striking in the summer term eh? Much more enjoyable for them than the middle of winter. You can't beat a bit of sun.”

“My own experience of teachers these days is that they are not a patch on those of 20 years ago. I suspect there are a lot who went to university having no idea what they wanted to do with their lives and stumbled into teaching for the shorter hours and bucket loads of holidays. In the past I think there more teachers there who really wanted to be there and the education of the kids was their first, second and third priority. These days I fear there is a majority in it for other reasons.

Striking will just show them up for their greed despite protestations that they are doing it for the good of the profession and to help future generations. How selfless!!”

“One wonders when they can find time to strike between their holidays.”

“yawn, every year.

I know it's a tough job, I know it's a busy job and I know it's politicised.

However, it's also secure, relatively well paid and pensioned and my word the holidays.”

“I thought teachers were off on holiday in the summer!!”

“Good for them. What is being done to our education system is disgraceful. It is being turned in to a private sector market with the only power taken from local government and being centralised in Whitehall.”