Reading Chronicle | Opinion | Leader: These are hard times, and not just for teachers

Friday, 16th May, 2008

Published: Thursday, 24th April, 2008 10:55

Leader: These are hard times, and not just for teachers

By Reading Chronicle, The Voice of Reading

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NOBODY can disagree that for ordinary folk these are hard times.

Forget all those class distinctions. Whether you’re 'working’ or 'middle’, blue or white collar, it is tough and getting tougher by the day.

One survey this week shows prices at the three biggest supermarkets have risen by 15% in the past year – the highest rate of food inflation in a generation – and those who can afford to buy a house are finding it more problematic then ever to meet their mortgage repayments.

Meanwhile, 5.3million of the nation’s lowest earners are wondering why they have been left to foot the bill for the abolition of the 10p income tax rate – just so that the Government could boast that it had cut the general rate of income tax.

Most experts agree that the narrow criteria employed in calculating the rate of inflation means the actual cost of living is rising far faster than the official 2.5% figure. Nevertheless, millions of workers across Britain are accepting pay rises of 2.5% or less on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. Take it, or leave and start seeking a new job.

Unfortunately, members of the National Union of Teachers appear to feel they are a special case.

We don’t subscribe to those old chestnut jibes about long holidays, but teachers are very privileged.

They are privileged to be teaching our children and moulding the future of the nation, but what sort of an example are they setting by downing tools and forcing schools across this area, and 1,000 in total up and down the country, to close for a day?

They suggest that one day out of 190 will not make much difference to an average child’s education. But in this vital period of GCSEs, SATs and all the rest of those challenges, certainly the maths teachers among the strikers will be able to work out that today is one day out of 30.

The NUT is threatening further action if it doesn’t get a better deal, but leaving this smoking gun pointing at our schools during arguably the most important term of the academic year is irresponsible and patently unfair to pupils and their parents.

The advice to 'get real’ will undoubtedly be dismissed as incorrect English, but it is something that should be heeded by a body of largely sensible people who have accepted the role of teaching youngsters subjects which including things like economics and citizenship.

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