Teachers Strike

In the last year the teachers in my hometown have been striking. They’re trying to get the pay and entitlements they were promised by the government during the election campaign. Hats off for believing that an election promise would be fulfilled and a bigger hats off in general for being teachers. My bone I pick with them isn’t that they’re striking, of course they should be paid more, an hour helping in any classroom will show anyone that teachers aren’t being paid enough!

No, my grievance is this, the strike is not affecting the politicians at all. I guarantee you that the offspring of our elected ones would, for the most part, be in private schools and the teachers in those schools don’t strike. So for those us of ploughing through the public sector we are left scrambling finding ways to cover the school free day.

Can I suggest to the teachers a few alternatives to make your point have a little more punch. You need to be in the politicians face but without it ending with a restraining order! How about this;

*Give every student in every year a project that requires them to contact their local parliamentary member. Phone calls, constant emails, facebook, tweets, drops in to their local offices with repetitive, inane questions, this should take up some of their precious time. Of course all in the disguise of our students learning more about the wonders of our parliamentary system. The key is let it be constant!

*Organise constant tours of parliament, nothing screams interrupted workplace more than a constant parade of bored schoolchildren. Be sure to tell the students just before they get off the bus to go on their tour, that you, the teacher, had booked an excursion to the local amusement park but because the people inside the building took all the money  you had to come on a tour of here instead. Bingo! The place will be full of whiny, cheesed off children. To take it to the next level tell the tour guide the children have lots of questions to ask and would like to meet as many of the politicians as they can!   Then all you need to do is sit back and let nature take it’s course!

*Recall all those kids that have been pretty much on permanent suspension and request work experience in the politicians office. When the member of parliament rings to find out why the kid you recommended for work experience has turned his/her office into a meth lab you can just say that due to staff shortages you will have to get back to them!!

That’s right we have to take it back to school yard tactics, little by little wear the politicians down, bruise their ego, question their credibility and try their patience until you get what you want.

By all means lets get you teachers more money but lets just make it a little more interesting!